Let Me In
by Acathla
Summary: Slight AU. My take on the Swan Queen pairing and the show itself. Rated M just in case.
1. Prologue

**AN: Okay, first and foremost let me explain a few things. This idea came to me after a weekend-long marathon of Swan Queen fanfics and fanvids. I am fairly certain no one has used this specific plot before but if they have and I missed it, I'm sorry. Anyway, I will be following canon to a point but there will be many changes. First, the curse exists, but the only one who remembers it is Mr. Gold. Not even Regina knows about it. My take on the curse is that since Regina cast the curse and Rumple created it, they are the only ones who can leave Storybrooke without consequences. Henry can leave too because he's not part of the curse, same goes for Emma. Because Regina doesn't remember the curse, she's not actively trying to keep anyone apart. Also, there are two ways to break the curse but I won't divulge them yet. David is in a coma but not a John Doe. Katherine is Regina's best friend. Any other changes will be explained along the way. On with the show. Also, this prologue starts 2 years before the pilot episode and moves from there.**

* * *

**Prologue**

_Storybrooke, 2 years ago._

Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke, Maine, was pacing in her office in City Hall. She was getting frustrated and antsy and she didn't know what to do about it. All she knew was that she had this sudden urge to go somewhere...out of town. She didn't even know where she would go she just knew she needed to get out of Storybrooke. Not forever, just for a few hours, a day at the most. Being Mayor had its privileges of course, but it also had its drawbacks, the biggest one being that everyone in town knew who she was and was always looking at her. Gossip in a small town like Storybrooke was practically a national pastime.

Regina hated being the topic of gossip, especially when it came to her private life, which was probably why she hadn't had much of one in a long time. For some reason though, today the urge to do something wild, something crazy, something definitely un-mayor-like was stronger than ever.

There was a knock on her office door and she turned to it, **"Come in."** She knew who it was, the only person she'd told her secretary was allowed to see her today...her best friend Katherine Nolan.

Katherine walked into the mayor's office and smiled at her best friend. It was a bit fuzzy when exactly they'd become friends at all, but it didn't matter anymore because it had been so long. **"Regina, what's up?"**

Regina had called Katherine shortly after arriving at the office, as soon as the urge to run hit. She needed someone to talk to that she could trust.

**"Katherine, I need a favor."**

**"Sure Regina, what is it?"** The blonde knew there was very little she would deny her friend, especially after everything she'd done to make sure her husband, David, was taken care of during his coma. She still had hope that he'd wake up, but until that day, Regina was footing the bill for his care.

Regina looked at her best friend for a moment then said, **"I need you to watch Henry today. I'm going out of town at one and don't know how late I'll be."** Regina knew she needed to get out of town for a few hours, even if that meant overnight.

Katherine got concerned, **"Regina, what's going on? Where are you going and why?"**

Regina shrugged her shoulders and tried to explain, **"I can't explain it exactly Kath, but this feeling came over me this morning that I needed to leave town today. Just for a few hours, though I'm not sure how many 'a few' will turn out to be. But I know that I have to leave and I need you to watch Henry while I'm gone, please?"**

Henry was Regina's 8 year old son. He was the center of her world, had been since she'd adopted him when he was 3 weeks old. Having Henry, being a mom and a mayor had always been enough for Regina. There had been a few brief flings over the years but nothing permanent. She couldn't explain her urge to leave town she just knew it was there and if she didn't, she might just explode.

Katherine listened to her friend and took a moment to think about what she was saying. For as long as she'd known Regina, the other woman had been getting 'feelings' and what some would call intuition about certain things. She didn't pretend to understand it but she knew enough to not stand in the way when Regina got one of her feelings. It was one of her feelings that led Regina and Katherine to the ditch that David had ended up in after he'd stormed off in the aftermath of a fight with Katherine. If they hadn't found him when they had, he would've died.

So now, she wouldn't try to get in the way of another feeling, no matter how crazy it sounded. **"Okay, I'll watch him. I'll pick him up from school and take him to your place. What should I tell him if he asks where you are?"**

Regina felt a little relief hearing Katherine agree to watch Henry. **"Um...tell him I had some business out of town and that I'll be back as soon as I can."**

Katherine thought about that and then nodded, **"Okay...but Regina, be careful ok?"**

For the first time that morning, Regina smiled, **"I am always careful. I have a wonderful incentive to come home safe and sound."** She glanced then at the photograph of Henry that was on her desk.

The two friends talked for a little while longer then Katherine excused herself to prepare to babysit Henry at Regina's house. Katherine owned and operated the local bookstore and she had a good staff that could handle the day to day operations while she spent time with Henry.

Regina watched her best friend leave and she felt a weight lift off of her shoulders. She quickly told her secretary that she was taking the rest of the day off and to cancel everything until tomorrow. It was Wednesday and thankfully, it was a light day.

Regina drove home and took a quick shower before dressing in her favorite outfit of tight black leather pants, black ankle boots and a deep red blouse with a generous neckline. She looked hot and she knew it. She got into her car just before 2pm and began driving out of town.

Regina pointed her car south and just drove, for hours, until the urge to run trickled down into an urge to stop. She got off the highway and looked around for any signs to tell her where she ended up. She was surprised to find that she was in Boston. Regina drove around the streets, just taking it all in. After about an hour, she felt the need to park the car.

Regina parked on a side street and got out of her car. She turned on the alarm and walked away, instinctively walked south down the street. It seemed as if south was her new default direction...for tonight at least.

* * *

_The Alibi (Bar and Grille), Boston_

Regina walked into the dimly lit bar and took a moment to look around, get a feel for the place. It was your average hole-in-the-wall bar with a jukebox in the corner, a small stage near the back wall and a long bar that stretched along the wall nearest the door. She spotted two doors that led to the restrooms, a few booths along the third wall and an open space that was obviously made for dancing. She liked the place, it seemed appropriately anonymous and she was looking forward to the experience. Looking forward to being able to be whomever she wanted without the people of Storybrooke to judge her every move.

Regina walked up to the bar, there weren't a lot of people there yet, it was still only 7pm, and she was able to get the attention of the bartender without a problem.

Regina watched as a well-built redhead sauntered over to her and smiled as she ran a white towel along the bar in front of Regina and then placed a coaster on it. **"What can I get you?"**

Regina was at a bit of a loss, she didn't normally drink alcohol, when she did it was always at her home and always whiskey and soda on the rocks but she didn't want that tonight. Here, where she could be anyone, she didn't want anything to remind her of who she really was. **"Um...I don't really know. Do you have a drink menu?"** She knew the odds of this place having a drink menu was low but she had to ask.

The bartender, Vicky, looked at the newcomer and smiled, this woman seemed like a posh princess out for a night of slumming, but she decided to indulge her. She reached under the bar and pulled out an ancient drink menu. No one ever really asked for it anymore, the patrons of the bar were regulars who didn't need it and newcomers usually just asked for a beer on tap or some other easy generic drink. She handed the 5x7" laminated menu over and smiled, **"Take your time honey."**

Regina took the menu and smiled, glad that there was a menu at all and also glad for the bartender's pleasant attitude. Regina sat at the bar reading over the choices, trying to decide what to try.

* * *

Emma Swan walked into the Alibi and smiled. This was her home away from home. She'd been coming here for the last three years and she knew most of the regulars. Most importantly, she knew the bartender and they had developed a sort of shorthand when it came to Emma's top five drinks. Emma walked over to the juke box first and fed it some quarters, selecting some of her favorite songs.

She then turned towards the bar and smiled when she saw Vicky but when her eyes drifted over the bar she stopped at the sight of someone new. Emma's eyes lingered on the dark haired stranger, certain she'd never seen her there before. She slowly walked around, circling around to get a better view of the woman and she was stunned at what she saw, this woman was beautiful.

She had dark, almost black hair, an olive complexion and what seemed to be dark eyes. Emma felt a sudden urge to get to know this exotic beauty. Emma felt an inexplicable pull towards the woman, as if she was supposed to meet her. Emma slowly walked closer and noticed she was reading the drink menu, a document that Emma had almost forgotten about, she had it memorized despite only liking five drinks on it.

Emma walked up behind the brunette and smiled as she inhaled a distinct scent of apples from her hair. She shifted to lean one arm against the bar as she said, **"Hey beautiful, can I buy you a drink?"**

Regina stiffened briefly, this was the part of going out that she didn't like, the sleazy come-ons, usually from guys but she had occasionally gotten the rare come on from women but it was usually men. She wasn't in the mood to deal with someone just looking for an easy score so she turned around, prepared to give this bold woman a piece of her mind that would send her back to whatever corner she'd come out of, when she was caught in the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. Regina felt herself staring into the woman's deep blue eyes and she had to actively drag her eyes away in order to be able to talk. **"Um...I don't think that's a good idea but thank you, Miss."** Regina dipped her head and began to turn back to the bar.

Not to be deterred, Emma simply moved to stand next to the dark beauty and still smiled, **"Emma. And who says the bad ideas can't be just as fun as the good ones?"**

Regina turned to look at the blonde and felt herself begin to smile. **"Well, bad ideas are bad for a reason...Emma."**

Emma grinned, knowing that once she got a woman talking to her it was only a matter of time before things progressed, especially when they used her first name right away rather than cling to the more formal 'Miss'. She leaned forward a little and lowered her voice just a little, **"Haven't you ever wanted to be bad?"**

Regina thought about that for a moment, she had escaped her small town shackles for the night for a reason hadn't she? There was no one here who knew her to judge her. Regina took a moment to weigh the options before she smiled and tilted her head, **"Very well...Emma. One drink."**

Emma smiled a genuine, warm smile. She liked this woman's voice and decided she had better get her name before things went too far. **"Excellent, but first, will you tell me your name? Or would you prefer I just continued to call you beautiful?"**

Regina smiled, **"As flattering as that might be, I prefer my name, Gina."** Regina gave a shortened version of her name, one last line of defense against full exposure.

Emma smiled, **"well Gina, it's nice to meet you. Now, how about we get a drink and maybe sit somewhere and get to know each other?"**

Regina, for the first time that she could remember, threw caution to the wind and decided that just for tonight she was going to be free and wild. **"Sounds good except...I'm not sure what I want to drink."**

Emma was used to taking charge, she loved it even. She plucked the menu from Gina's hands and tossed it on the bar. **"That's useless. Do you trust me to choose for you?"**

Regina thought about that, **"Okay, just this once. What did you have in mind?"**

Emma didn't answer, she turned and caught Vicky's attention. When the redhead came up to them Emma smiled, **"Hey Vick, set us up with an Iced Tea for the lady and a number 4 for me, okay?"**

Vicky looked to the dark haired stranger for confirmation. When she saw her nod, Vicky turned and began preparing the drinks.

Regina turned to Emma and asked, curious, **"So um...what's the number 4?"**

Emma smiled, **"It's one of my favorite drinks."**

Regina barely refrained from rolling her eyes at the non-answer, **"I gathered as much, but what's it called?"**

Emma took a moment before she leaned closer to speak into her ear, not wanting anyone else to hear it. **"Well...it's called a Sex on the Beach, and it's **_**almost**_** as good as the real thing."** Emma pulled away to see the reaction her words caused, pleased to notice Gina's dark eyes had dilated and darkened even more.

If someone had asked, Regina wouldn't be able to explain why Emma's words had turned her on, she just knew they had and she shifted on her chair a little. Before she could say anything, Vicky placed two tall glasses in front of them.

Emma handed over a credit card and exchanged a look with Vicky, a silent communication to open a tab. Vicky took the card and just nodded, turning from the bar.

Emma grabbed both glasses and gestured to one of the empty booths. **"Shall we?"**

Regina slipped off the chair and began to follow the beautiful blonde to the booths. They sat down and Regina took her first sip of the Iced Tea that Emma had ordered for her, not expecting the complete lack of tea in the drink. Emma explained what was in the drink after Regina asked and soon Regina was drinking a bit more. It was really good.

* * *

Several hours passed as Regina and Emma sat in the booth and talked. They stayed away from personal topics such as last names, Regina's hometown, Emma's childhood, and other sensitive topics. Instead, they talked about the mundane little things people talk about when they are getting to know each other but also just killing time before they can advance physically.

Emma was enjoying herself, and enjoying Gina's company. She had a sharp wit and a wicked sense of humor. They talked, and joked and generally got along as if they'd known each other forever.

When Vicky announced last call, Regina had already had 3 iced teas and Emma had stopped at 2 drinks. Regina wasn't drunk but she was happily buzzed. Emma stood up from the booth and held out a hand to Gina. **"Can I walk you to your...um...car?"**

Regina thought about it for a moment, then said, **"I don't think I should be driving Emma. Maybe you can call me a cab?"**

Emma smiled, **"Okay, you're a cab."** Emma chuckled, **"Seriously though, I live nearby, I have a couch you can crash on."**

Regina took the offered hand and stood up, grinning, **"Just a couch?"**

Emma pulled her closer, **"Unless you had something else in mind?"**

**"Maybe one or two things Emma."** Regina said, her voice dropping a few octaves as her intent was made clear. Emma pulled Regina to the bar to collect her credit card then led the woman out to the street. Emma lived only a few blocks from the bar and they walked there, arms interlinked. Both women knew what lay ahead and they were both eager for it.

* * *

_The next morning..._

Regina woke up and looked at the window, it was still dark out. She glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand and saw it was 4 in the morning. She felt a weight on her left side and she turned and smiled when she saw the blonde hair.

Emma had proven to be an unexpected but very pleasant surprise. Idly, she wondered if her urge to run from Storybrooke had been some, unseen force, leading her to Emma. Normally, Regina didn't think about things like fate or destiny, but...there was something about Emma that made Regina want to believe that this wasn't just a fluke or a coincidence.

Emma slowly stirred and opened her eyes. She smiled when she saw Gina, awake and looking at her. **"Hi beautiful."**

Regina gave a fake frown, **"I thought we established a first name basis Emma."** Her voice lacked its usual firmness, softened by the look in Emma's eyes.

**"We did, but I call it like I see it and you...are very beautiful Gina."** Emma leaned closer and kissed the brunette, lifting her hand to pull Gina's head closer.

Regina indulged in the kiss a moment longer before she pulled away and looked into Emma's deep blue eyes. **"Emma...I would like to see you again, if that's alright with you."**

Emma thought about that, normally she didn't go for repeat performances with her one night stands but Gina was different. There was something about her that drew Emma in and made her want more. **"I think that sounds wonderful."**

Regina hesitated for a moment then said, **"There's just one problem. I don't live in Boston. My job only allows me one day a week to get away from it all and come here. I know it wouldn't be ideal but I am willing to give it a try if you are."**

Emma thought about that, she thought about only seeing Gina once a week and wondered if that would be enough for her. Then she thought about never seeing her again and knew that wasn't a viable option. If all she could get right now was once a week, Emma decided that she would take it, and maybe someday that would change.

Emma rolled over and pinned Gina to the bed. She smiled down at Gina and said, **"I think we could give it a try. I definitely want to see you again."** Emma leaned down and kissed Gina, reveling in the soft lips and talented tongue that had brought her so much pleasure last night.

About two hours later, Regina finally admitted that she needed to get going. Emma reluctantly agreed and even got dressed to walk Gina to her car. Together, they walked the few blocks to where Regina had parked. Emma took a mental note of the Maine plates on the car but stayed silent.

Regina opened the driver's door and turned to face Emma. Emma smiled then leaned forward and kissed her one more time.

Regina smiled as she finally pulled away. **"I'll be back next Wednesday Emma. At the Alibi, deal?"**

Emma smiled, **"Deal. I can't wait beautiful. See you then."**

Emma watched as Gina got into her car and drove away. There was a small weight in her chest for a moment as she watched Gina drive away. After a moment, she shoved it away and turned to go back to her apartment. Wednesday seemed a long way away but she resolved to fill the time with work. The thought of sleeping with anyone else in the interim seemed wrong somehow, despite having just met Gina.

* * *

The following Wednesday, Regina once again arranged for Katherine to watch Henry and hit the road to Boston and...Emma.

Every week, Regina and Emma met at the Alibi, had a few drinks then went back to Emma's apartment for the night. In the morning, as the sun was rising, Regina would leave with the promise of returning the following Wednesday.

And that's how their relationship progressed. Every Wednesday, Regina drove from Storybrooke to Boston and spent the night with Emma, then she drove back to Storybrooke in time to put in a few hours at City Hall before she went home to Henry.

A year went by in this fashion, this routine that she had established. Henry asked at one point why it was always Wednesdays and Regina had explained that Wednesdays were the only day that her workload wasn't heavy. Henry accepted that answer and hadn't asked about it again.

* * *

_One year later..._

Regina walked into the Alibi and smiled at Vicky. She walked up to the bar and ordered the only drink she ever ordered here, an Iced Tea, and placed her credit card on the bar. At some point over the last year, Regina had started putting the drinks on her tab. Regina sat at the bar and waited for Emma to arrive.

Emma walked into the bar and headed right for where Gina was always waiting. She always sat at the same chair, the one she was sitting on when they first met. They always migrated to the same booth and then they ended up at Emma's apartment.

Tonight, however, Emma had a different plan in mind. She walked up behind Gina and wrapped her arms around her waist. Emma felt Gina jump a little then relax into her arms. Emma leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Gina's neck. She murmured into her ear, **"Hello gorgeous, miss me?"**

Regina smiled as she turned around to face Emma, **"You know I did."**

They kissed for what seemed like hours but was really only a few minutes. Emma pulled back first and said, **"I um...I had an idea for tonight. Feel like getting out of here early?"**

Regina studied Emma's face and realized she'd follow Emma anywhere. **"Sure. Let's go."** Regina motioned to Vicky for her card then she followed Emma out of the bar.

It was still early, only 8 o'clock , and Emma led Gina down the block. Emma's surprise was a real date. They never really had dates, they always met at the bar, had a few drinks then right to Emma's apartment. Some nights they didn't even have the drinks. But they'd never had a real date and Emma was determined to have a real date with Gina.

Emma took Gina to a small Italian restaurant and they had a lovely meal. Conversation flowed easily and soon they were leaving the restaurant and heading for their next destination. Emma led Gina to a movie theater and they settled into the darkened theater to watch a sappy romantic comedy.

Half way through the movie, Gina leaned over and began to nibble on Emma's ear. She wasn't overly fond of romantic comedies, especially when they featured sports. She much preferred to tease Emma.

Emma managed to hold out until the movie ended then she dragged Gina back to her place. They stumbled through the door, frantically ripping off clothes and leaving a trail all the way to the bedroom.

Emma pushed Gina back onto the bed and followed her down, determined to make the dark haired goddess scream her name more than once.

* * *

Hours later, both women lay on the bed, sated and euphoric. Regina was on her back and Emma curled into her side, her arm wrapped protectively around her waist and her head nestled on Gina's shoulder. Emma waited until she was sure Gina was asleep. She looked up and saw her eyes were closed and her breathing seemed even. She snuggled deeper into Gina's embrace and softly whispered, for the very first time, **"I love you Gina."**

Emma drifted off to sleep after that, at peace now that she'd gotten that off her chest, the words had been burning a hole in her chest for months now.

Regina waited until Emma was asleep, having heard her whispered words. They frankly, scared her to death. The last person who'd said those words to her had betrayed her and hurt her very deeply. Regina didn't know if she could handle a betrayal by Emma.

Regina's fight or flight instinct urged her to leave. She was too scared to stay and fight the fear so she fled from the happiness that Emma's arms offered. So, she carefully crept from the bed and dressed quietly. She scribbled a quick note for Emma, not wishing to leave her with no explanation at all. Carefully and quietly, Regina left the apartment and walked to her car. She got in and drove away.

Halfway through Vermont, Regina finally broke down and had to pull over. She sat there, on the side of the highway at 3 in the morning, crying her eyes out over what she'd lost, what she'd tossed away out of fear.

She thought about going back but she knew she couldn't...not after the note she'd left. She was certain Emma would read the note and then end up hating her. As much as that thought pained her, she knew it was better this way. She couldn't risk Emma coming after her, looking for her.

* * *

A few hours later, Emma woke up to an empty bed. She reached over for Gina and was met with cold, empty sheets. Emma sat up and looked around. All traces of Gina were gone. Emma began to look around the apartment, hoping for a note, an explanation, maybe even the excuse that work had called her back home.

She found the note in the kitchen, leaning against the coffee maker.

_Emma, _

_I am so sorry to have to do this to you like this, but there was no other way. If I said it to your face, I might lose my nerve. This past year with you has been great, but it has to end. I am getting married in two weeks. I won't be coming back to Boston. Please don't try to find me. You will always be special to me dear Emma but I love my fianc?and I can't continue to deceive him. I am sorry Emma. _

_Goodbye forever, _

_Gina._

Emma couldn't believe what she was reading. It had to be a lie and yet...why would Gina say it, or write it, if it wasn't true?

Emma spent the rest of the day trying to figure things out and crying. By the time the sun set, she was determined to not give up on Gina. Emma stood by the window and looked out at the view of the harbor. She sighed as she whispered into the still apartment, **"Happy anniversary Gina."** She hoped that the other woman would come to her senses by the following week and she'd be back at their bar.

Emma showed up at the Alibi every Wednesday for a month and still no Gina. She started going there every day of the week, hoping maybe the woman had alternated her days but no luck.

Emma kept praying for Gina to show up but she never did and she finally had to accept that she'd lost her. Emma no longer felt her heart breaking, because it was already shattered into a million pieces. She wondered if she'd ever recover from the pain.

TBC...

* * *

**AN2: If there's any interest for more, let me know. **


	2. What Happened Next

******AN: Okay wow...the response was so awesome. So here's the next chapter. A few points of interest to mention. Some people wondered about Henry's obsession with the curse and Regina not knowing about the curse. For the purposes of this story, Henry doesn't know about the curse. The book probably won't make a big appearance in this story. Henry's negative feelings towards Regina will stem from finding out he was adopted. Now, having never been involved in the adoption process, I am not any kind of expert in the debate between adopted mom vs birth mom: who is the REAL mom? So I took both sides of it. Henry represents the Birth mom is real mom side while Emma (and Regina) take the 'the mom who raised you is your real mom' stance. I always wondered how Henry found out he was adopted. To me it didn't make sense to tell a kid that news and basically risk shattering their sense of security in the world. So this is my take on that too.**

**So hopefully, this will answer some questions. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 1: What Happened Next**

_One Year later..._

As ten-year-old Henry Mills sat quietly on the Greyhound bus that was taking him to Boston to find his birth mom, he thought back to the events that led him to this point.

It had all started about two months after his mom stopped going out of town every week. At first, Henry was glad that his mom was around more again, it meant that he got to spend more time with her. He missed his Wednesday nights with Miss Nolan sometimes. They always had a good time watching movies and talking. Miss Nolan talked to him like he was an equal, not a little kid.

So when he'd asked her one Wednesday night what his mom was doing every week and where she went, Miss Nolan had told him that she didn't know the details but that it must be pretty important to make her leave town. Henry hadn't asked about it again, sensing that whatever it was that was taking his mom out of town would be revealed to him if it ever became necessary.

But then, she'd stopped going out of town. Wednesday nights were once again spent at home with him and at first, Henry was ecstatic. He had his mom back full time and he could stop worrying about her when she was away.

After a couple of weeks though, Henry began to notice that things weren't as great as he'd thought they were. His mom seemed like her old self, caring and attentive (if a bit bossy and stern) but there was something different. After the first month, Henry had woken up in the middle of the night and went to the bathroom. On his way back to his room, he heard a sound coming from his mother's room. Concerned, he crept quietly to the door, hoping to figure out the sound. The door was open just a little bit and Henry carefully peeked inside. What he saw, his young brain needed a minute to fully understand. His mom, his rock who was always there for him and always had a smile for him, was sitting on her bed...crying.

At first he thought that maybe she was hurt or in pain but then he saw she was holding her cell phone in her hand and staring at it. She wasn't dialing numbers or even touching the screen, she was just looking at it and crying. Henry, being a very smart little boy, figured she was looking at a picture of someone...maybe even his dad who had died when he was two weeks old.

His mom didn't keep any pictures of his dad around the house, claiming it was too painful to look at but maybe she'd kept one on her phone. Either way, Henry stood there for a few moments and watched his mom cry. It was too much for him to bear so he crept into the room and onto the bed. When his mom noticed him, she snapped her phone shut and slid it under her pillow. Henry just crawled up next to her and put his arms around her. They stayed like that for hours, just holding each other as his mom cried until the tears were gone. No words were spoken and she didn't even ask him why he was awake. She just held him close and they eventually fell asleep like that.

The next day, it was like it never happened. His mom was back to her usual self. Henry went to school, a little tired but still glad he'd been able to comfort his mom.

Two months after that night, Henry's world felt like it had shattered into a million pieces and there seemed to be no way to fix it.

* * *

Henry had forgotten to take out the trash, again, for the third time in a row and his mom had yelled at him for it. One thing led to another and his mom had spanked him for some ill-thought out words he'd said...mostly swear words he wasn't allowed to say.

In a fit of embarrassed anger, he'd stormed out of the house and onto his bike. He rode away towards the woods, too angry and embarrassed to stop the tears that soon blurred his vision. He was about a half mile from the city limit when his bike hit a sand patch and it skidded out of control. Henry and his bike slid down an embankment and his little body slammed into a tree trunk.

Luckily, his mom had sent the Sheriff after him, knowing that if she followed him it would make things worse. The Sheriff saw the accident and called for the ambulance while he stopped his car and ran to the boy. He was careful not to move him for fear of doing more damage but he was able to stop the bleeding from the broken leg bone that peeked out of the skin.

The paramedics loaded Henry into the ambulance and rushed him to the hospital.

Regina sat in the waiting room while Henry was taken into surgery to repair the broken leg and arm, as well as the punctured spleen. His ribs had been bruised and the doctors were afraid of internal injuries and bleeding. She was feeling the guilt of their last interaction. The last thing she'd said to him were words of anger, she'd spanked him and now he was fighting for his life. Regina knew that if Henry didn't survive this...she might as well be dead as well. He was her entire world...and now that she'd thrown away her one chance at what could've been a great love, he was all she had left and if she lost him...she felt her heart collapse on itself at the mere thought of losing her son.

Dr. Whale came out eventually and brought Regina to Henry's room. Before he let her go in, he informed Regina about Henry's injuries. He was going to be okay because he was young and resilient but he was going to need a blood transfusion to replace what he'd lost.

No one in town knew that Henry was adopted, so no one thought to question that Regina would be able to provide a blood transfusion. But she couldn't, they didn't have the same blood type. She stood by Henry's slightly open room door and explained to Dr. Whale that Henry was adopted and that she couldn't provide blood. What she didn't know was that Henry was awake and had heard everything.

In that moment, when he heard his mom tell the doctor that he was adopted, that he _wasn't_ her real son...his entire world shattered around him. He didn't know how to deal with the news so he shoved it aside and pretended not to know.

Luckily, by some miracle, his teacher Mary Margaret Blanchard _was_ a match for his blood type and she happily donated the blood he needed.

Three weeks later, he'd been released from the hospital with a cast on his leg, one on his arm and a cool scar from the surgery.

His mom had taken time off work to take care of him, helping him dress and bathe. Henry tolerated it all, knowing that she wasn't his real mom but also knowing there was no one else.

Slowly, he began to resent his mom, his anger over not being told about being adopted grew in his heart. On the outside he seemed the same little boy but inside, he was changing. He started wondering about his birth mom, his _real_ mom. He wanted to know why she had given him up, why he wasn't good enough to keep.

With hours stuck in a chair with a cast on his leg and his arm, he had more time on his computer. He began going online, looking up websites that helped people find their real parents.

He'd searched his mom's office, glad now that he knew the combination to her safe where she kept important papers. There he'd found documents about his adoption but nothing with his mother's name on it.

It took him months of searching to finally find his real mom. By then, the casts had come off and he was back in school. He'd swiped his teacher's credit card to get his mother's address from the website he'd found. He felt bad but shrugged it off as he justified it as necessary to find the woman who'd given birth to him...his _real_ mom.

And now, he was on a bus, after skipping school and running away to the nearest Greyhound bus station, on his way to Boston where his real mom lived.

* * *

_Emma Swan's Apartment, Boston_

Emma let herself into her apartment, a little weary after her latest job. She had brought the bail jumper in and collected her bounty and now all she wanted was to soak in a hot bath and forget that it was her birthday.

Emma walked through her apartment and stopped when she came across the frame on the wall. It was the only thing on the wall and Emma saw it every day. Every day, it managed to bring both a smile and a tear whenever she saw it. It was the drinks menu from the Alibi. It was really all she had left of Gina.

Even a year later, no one had ever come close to replacing Gina in her heart. Emma still loved her and she probably always would. She'd long ago given up on hoping the other woman would one day show up at her door and apologize for being an idiot and beg her to take her back. Too much time had passed for that, but that didn't mean Emma wouldn't say yes if it happened.

Before she took her bath, Emma pulled out the cupcake she'd bought yesterday for her birthday and lit a small candle on it. Normally, she used her birthday wish to ask for just one birthday where she didn't have to be alone. However, this year she wished for a way to find Gina and win her back...even if she had to steal her away from a husband.

As Emma blew out the candle, there was a knock at her door. She turned towards the door and, foolishly, wondered if her wish was about to come true. She walked to the door and slowly pulled it open. What she saw on the other side of the door deflated her a bit but she hid it behind confusion.

* * *

Henry looked up at the blonde woman for a long moment, looking for any hint of resemblance. He smiled to himself when he recognized his own eyes looking back at him.

Emma looked down at the kid who had knocked on her door. **"What do you want kid?"** Emma didn't have much patience for kids.

Henry grinned up at her and said, **"Is your name Emma Swan?"**

Warily, Emma took a quick glance down both ends of the hall, checking if the kid was alone. Seeing that he was, she turned back to him, **"Um...yeah. Who are you?"**

**"My name is Henry...I'm your son."** Henry's voice was confident but inside he was trembling a little bit, hoping she wouldn't turn him away.

Emma was about to turn him away but there was something about the boy that stopped her, **"Listen kid, does your mom know where you are?"** Emma remembered the baby boy she'd given away so long ago but she refused to believe this was that boy. In her mind, her son was frozen in time as an infant.

Henry shook his head, **"**_**You're**_** my mom. I can prove it."**

Emma decided that this might be a conversation best had away from the nosiness of her neighbors so she ushered the boy inside and closed the door. She led him to the living room and sat him down on the couch. **"Start talking kid."**

Henry took a breath before he began to explain how he knew she was his mom. He explained about the accident, and finding out he was adopted. He told her about the internet search and how he tracked her down. Finally, he pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her, it was one of the things his teacher's credit card had paid for.

Emma took the paper from him and read it over, stunned that he had it. It was the original copy of his birth certificate...the one that listed her as his mom; the one that the hospital had filled out when he was born. Emma's eyes flew to her signature and she felt the tears begin to well up at the sight...the memories of that day rushing back to her. After a few moments, she lifted her head and looked at the boy...her son.

**"Look, kid, even if this paper says I'm your mom...the law doesn't agree. I have to take you back to your real mom."**

As much as she wanted to keep him there, to get to know him and spend time with him, she had given him up for a reason and she didn't have the legal right to keep him. She had to be the grown up and take him back home. Henry wouldn't be deterred that easily though, **"But **_**you**_** are my real mom!"**

Emma shook her head, **"No Henry, I'm not. I'm just the woman who gave birth to you. The woman who raised you, who took care of you, who loves you...that's your **_**real**_** mom kid."**

Henry shook his head, **"No! I don't want her I want you! Please Emma?"**

Emma started to wonder why he was so adamant about staying with her. **"Henry, is there...something about your mom that you wanna tell me?"** Emma hoped that he wasn't about to tell her that his mom abused him or worse.

Henry looked at Emma for a long moment before he dropped his head and said, in a low voice, **"I can't go back there...she lied to me."** He raised his eyes and Emma saw tears in them, **"I can't go back to her Emma...please don't make me."**

Emma sighed. She hated it when tears came into play. **"Look, Henry, I can't keep you. Your mom has probably already called the cops and issued Amber alerts and everything. No one deserves to be scared like that, no one. Where do you live? I'm taking you home."** Emma expected him to say somewhere relatively close by, she wasn't expecting to hear that he lived in Maine.

Henry hoped the prospect of a long drive would deter Emma from taking him home but it didn't and before he knew it he was in her yellow VW Bug and driving north.

Emma had gathered a few things before the long drive, realizing that she was most likely going to end up having to stay in town a few days to answer questions about this so she packed a bag and ushered Henry into her car for the long drive north.

Emma had no idea what she was about to encounter.

* * *

_Storybrooke, Maine_

Emma smiled wryly at the quaint sign that welcomed her to Storybrooke. She turned to Henry, **"Seriously, the town really is called Storybrooke?"**

Henry tore his gaze away from the side of the road as they passed the spot of his accident. **"Yup."** There was no joy in his voice as he began remembering the accident and the moments before it when he was so angry at the world.

Emma noticed the glum tone but chalked it up to his reluctance to be home. She drove for about a mile or so with nothing but woods on either side of her. Finally, she began to see buildings and she turned to Henry, **"We're coming into what looks like a town here kid, how do I get to your house from here?"**

Henry didn't want to go home yet so he told her to pull over in front of Granny's diner. Emma stopped the car and turned to Henry, **"Look, I know this isn't what you wanted, but I don't have a choice here. So either you tell me where you live or I get out and ask someone for directions. Small town like this, shouldn't be too hard to find out where you live."**

Henry thought about that and huffed a little, knowing she was right but not willing to admit it yet.

After a few minutes of silence, Emma nodded and got out of the car, determined to find someone who could help her. She stood by her car for a moment before she noticed a man walking his dog coming towards her. She waited until he was closer before she asked, **"Hey there, um...can you help me out?"**

The man, who looked a little nerdy but sweet, smiled, **"If I can Miss. What seems to be the problem?"**

Emma smiled her best, most charming smile and knocked on the window of the car, motioning for Henry to get out of the car. As he did she turned back to the man, **"I was wondering if you knew where he lived so I can take him home."**

The man, Dr. Archie Hopper, turned his eyes to the boy she was talking about and was surprised to see it was Henry Mills, his patient and the Mayor's son. His smile faltered a bit as he turned to Henry, **"Henry? Why aren't you at home? Your mother must be worried sick."**

Henry shrugged, not wanting to talk to his shrink right now, knowing the man would tell Emma exactly where he lived. Dr. Hopper turned back to the blonde woman, **"Sorry, my name is Dr. Hopper and you are?"**

**"Emma Swan. Can you tell me where he lives please?"**

**"Oh sure. Just go down Main street until you hit Elm and take a left. You can't miss it, the Mayor's mansion is near the end of the block on the right."** He pointed in the direction she was supposed to go, knowing that any questions he had about why she had Henry would have to wait until the boy was at home. Mayor Mills was probably too worried and scared right now to tolerate a delay in Henry's return.

Emma's eyes widened as she turned to the kid, **"Your mom's the **_**Mayor**_**?"**

Henry just nodded, knowing that denying she was his mom wasn't going to go over too well, especially in front of Dr. Hopper.

Emma sighed, _'This is just fucking great! I'm returning the runaway kid of the Mayor for crying out loud. I'll probably end up in some small town jail charged with accessory after the fact or some other BS charge that small town cops love to use...especially if the Mayor asks them to.'_ Emma knew she probably wasn't being fair to the cops in Storybrooke, but she'd had her fair share of run ins with small town cops to not be a little cynical and wary.

**"Fine, then let's get this over with and take you home."** She turned to the man who was still standing there. **"Thank you Dr. Hopper. Come on Henry, back in the car."**

Dr. Hopper watched Henry get back in the car, not sensing even an ounce of fear for this blonde woman in his body language. He wasn't scared of her...but he sensed the boy _was_ scared of facing his mom and with good reason.

Dr. Hopper watched as the yellow car drove off in the direction of the Mayor's mansion and nodded, accepting that he might be getting a visit from either the Sheriff or the Mayor in the morning. Until then, he started walking again, his patient dog falling into step next to him as they made a wide circuit of the park nearby.

* * *

Emma followed the directions the man had given her and soon she was pulling up in front of the Mayor's mansion...and it really was a mansion. Emma looked up at the house and was suitably impressed. She turned to Henry, remembering the multitude of foster homes she'd lived in that weren't even a quarter as nice as this house. **"You ran away from **_**this**_** place?"**

Henry looked up at Emma without even a hint of a smile. **"I didn't run away from here...I ran **_**towards**_** you."** He hoped she would see the difference.

Emma frowned, **"I'm not someone to run towards Henry. Come on, let's get you inside so your mom can stop worrying and call off the cops."**

Emma got out of the car and Henry reluctantly followed her. They walked up the path to the front door. Halfway there, the front door opened and a woman rushed out, running right to Henry and engulfing him in a huge hug. When the woman straightened out she turned to face the woman who was standing next to her son, ready to thank her for returning him home.

When dark brown eyes met deep blue...time seemed to stop as both women recognized who was standing there. Stunned silence reigned for several moments before Henry took his chance and ran inside the house, eager to get away before his mom began yelling.

Regina and Emma stood there, staring at each other in silence. This was the last thing either of them expected to happen and neither one of them knew how to handle it.

What did you say or do when the love of your life is standing there and the words won't come out?

For Emma...it seemed that her heart overrode her brain and before she knew it she'd raised her hand and slapped the other woman's face. The sound of flesh on flesh echoed in the air for a moment before being swallowed up by the silence once more.

TBC...

* * *

**AN2: Cue the dramatic music... what will happen now that Emma and Regina are face to face? Stay tuned. I will follow canon where I can but since it's been so long since I've seen the early episodes, I can't promise anything. Anything I get wrong...let's just say that I changed it for my own purposes and leave it at that okay? **


	3. Talk, Don't Run

**AN: Here's the next chapter. A lot of people really liked that slap, which I don't think I really expected but it's all good. I re-watched the pilot episode and I am saying right now, I am changing sooo much from the pilot. It's ridiculous, but I hope that it continues to work and that I don't let anyone down. Also, I don't know how well I managed to write Henry and Regina's talk but hopefully it also works. Let me know!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Talk, Don't Run**

Regina lifted her hand to her cheek, feeling the sting of impact. She lightly rubbed the reddening skin and swallowed. **"Okay, I guess I deserved that."** She paused for a moment then said, **"But you only get one free shot Emma."**

Emma just nodded, wanting to apologize but at the same time, feeling like it would be a sign of weakness if she did.

Regina sighed, **"What are you doing here and why were you with my son?"** Regina was still a bit too stunned at seeing Emma in Storybrooke to really put the pieces together better.

Emma shrugged then took a breath, **"He um...he showed up on my doorstep earlier."**

**"Why?"** Regina knew she'd been very good at keeping Emma's identity a secret during their affair and in the year since it ended, so she didn't know how Henry could've possibly tracked her down, or why.

Emma suddenly realized that the other woman had no idea that Henry knew about the adoption. She looked down, not relishing having to be the one to tell her. **"He knows he was adopted and he tracked me down because...because I'm the one who gave him up."**

Regina was stunned...Emma was Henry's birth mother? It was more than she could handle. She looked at Emma, _**"You're**_** Henry's birth mother?"**

Before Emma could answer, she noticed movement behind Gina and her eyes moved towards it. She saw a man standing there like he belonged there. He walked up to them and stood behind Gina. Emma saw him place a hand on Gina's shoulder and heard him say, **"I just checked on Henry, he seems fine just tired."**

Regina turned her head towards Graham and nodded silently, thanking him without words.

The intimacy of the moment wasn't lost on Emma and she suddenly realized that this guy was probably the fiance that Gina had left her for...probably now her husband. She felt nauseous and realized she needed to get out of there. **"I should be going. Goodbye, Madam Mayor."**

Emma turned and practically ran to her car needing to be as far away from Gina and her husband as she could get. She got halfway there when she felt a hand on her bicep stopping her in her tracks. Emma refused to turn around as she heard Gina's low voice.

**"Emma, please don't go. We need to talk about this."** Regina wanted...no _needed_ a chance to explain herself to Emma. She needed to try to make things right between them.

Emma slowly shook her head, **"No...I can't be here Gina! Let me go, it's what you're good at."** Emma tried then to free her arm from Gina's hand only to feel it tighten around her arm.

**"Please Emma. If you won't wait here, then wait for me at Granny's diner okay? I need to talk to Henry first then I'll come see you. Please Emma...just give me one hour and if you still want to leave...I won't stop you. Please?"** Regina was desperate. Now that Emma was here, in Storybrooke, she didn't want to let her go again. She _couldn't_ let her go again. Besides, if she really was Henry's birth mother then she wasn't going to stand in the way of her son getting to know her.

Emma finally turned to look at Gina and saw the fear and panic in her eyes and that was her undoing. Knowing that she was risking even more pain, she relented, **"Fine. One hour. I'll wait at the diner but if you don't show...I'm leaving Gina."** Emma knew the words were empty...she wouldn't leave town until she knew her son was safe but Gina didn't need to know that just yet. A part of Emma needed to make Gina suffer a bit for the pain she'd caused her.

Regina smiled, **"I'll be there Emma. I promise."** Regina watched as Emma turned and left, getting into her car and driving away towards Main Street where the diner was located.

Regina turned and went back towards the house. She looked at Graham, who looked like he wanted to ask what that was all about but he knew better than to question Regina about anything personal anymore.

Regina gave him a half smile, knowing she still had to work with him after this. **"Sheriff, everything is fine now. Thank you for your help but you can leave now."**

Graham thought about arguing or insisting on staying but he thought better of it and just nodded. He walked down the path then turned around, **"Would you like me to keep an eye on...her?"** He hadn't caught her name.

Regina took a breath then said, **"No, that's alright. I can handle it. Go home Sheriff, good night."**

Graham just nodded again and then left, getting into his cruiser and making his way back to the police station to finish his shift.

Regina walked into her house, conscious of the time, and walked up the stairs to Henry's room for their talk, knowing it wasn't going to be a happy talk.

* * *

Emma drove back to Main Street by retracing her path to Gina's house and easily found the diner Gina had told her about. She realized she was hungry and decided to kill the hour by having dinner.

Emma walked into the diner and smiled at the quaint, small town d?or. There weren't a lot of people in the place so Emma walked over to a booth and sat down. She didn't have to wait long before a very pretty waitress came over. She was tall and had dark brown hair with red streaks in it and a very pretty smile. If it wasn't for the fact that Emma's heart was adamant about wanting Gina, she might've tried to hit on her.

**"Hi there, my name's Ruby. What can I get you?"** If Ruby was surprised to see a new face in town, she didn't show it. She just smiled and waited for the stunning blonde to reply.

Emma smiled up at Ruby and said, **"Well, I'm hungry and I've never been here before...what would you recommend?"**

Against her better judgment, Ruby felt herself start to flirt a little, **"Oh everything is really yummy here...even what's not on the menu."**

Emma caught the meaning but decided to ignore it, not wanting to have any misunderstandings. **"In that case, I think I'll stick with the classics. How about a cheeseburger, well done and fries with a vanilla milkshake?"**

Ruby nodded, **"Coming right up."**

Emma watched the waitress leave and couldn't stop her eyes from drifting lower and admiring her firm backside. Again, she wondered why she was being faithful to a woman who was married to someone else and had obviously moved on. But the truth was, Emma was just too stubborn to give up on Gina...and her heart was still in love with the other woman and until that changed, she knew there wouldn't be anyone else in her bed. Emma sighed, resigned to her fate.

Her food came quickly and she began eating, hoping to distract her brain from the ticking of the clock and the anticipation of seeing Gina again.

* * *

Regina stood in the doorway of Henry's room and watched her son for a moment. He was sitting on the bed with his back to the door, his shoulders slumped. Regina sighed, this wasn't going to be easy. **"Hey, can I come in?"**

Henry didn't turn around, didn't speak he just shrugged his shoulders. The young boy didn't really want to talk to his mom but he knew that he really didn't have a choice right now. He silently wished it was Emma coming to talk to him but he knew that wasn't going to happen just yet...if ever.

Regina tried not to let Henry's indifference affect her as she walked slowly into the room and sat down next her son on his bed. The silence continued as Regina tried to think of what to say. Finally she asked, **"Henry, why didn't you come talk to me?"**

Henry didn't want to answer that, he didn't want to have to say anything really. He was still angry and hurting over the lies his mom had told him over the years. He stared at the wall in front of him and stubbornly didn't speak.

Regina gently placed her hand on his back, rubbing gentle circles. **"Henry, you always talk to me when you have questions so, why not this time?"**

Henry tried to hold on to his silence but the hand on his back was breaking down his defenses. In a voice so low it might as well have been a whisper he said, **"I didn't want more lies I wanted the truth."**

Regina heard the words and it felt like a punch to her gut. There was such pain and sadness in her son's voice as he condemned her with his words. She closed her eyes to fight back her own reaction to causing her son pain. **"I'm sorry Henry. I never meant to hurt you. I was going to tell you-"**

Henry couldn't listen to more lies. He jumped off the bed and whirled to face his mom, his young face contorted in anger, **"Stop lying to me! You were never going to tell me! Just admit it!"**

Regina took his anger, knowing he needed to let it out. She would talk to him about yelling at grown-ups later, right now she was willing to take it. **"Yes I was going to tell you...when you were older. I wanted to wait until you were old enough to understand."**

Henry shook his head, not ready to listen to logic. **"I'm not a baby anymore! You should've told me!"**

**"Henry-****"**

Henry cut her off, **"No! I hate you!"** Henry ran from the room and ran to the closest room to his own, the bathroom. He slammed the door behind him, wishing he could lock it. He settled for sitting with his back against the door so it couldn't be opened and let loose the tears that rose up. He sat there crying and wishing his _real_ mom, Emma, would come back and take him away from there.

Regina sat there a moment, processing Henry's last words, 'I hate you' and fighting down the pain they caused. He'd never said that to her...not even during the fight before his accident. He was her little boy, her baby. She took a deep breath and knew that she didn't have the luxury of breaking down right now. She had Henry to deal with and she still had to go to Granny's and talk to Emma.

Regina stood up and with purpose in her stride, she went to find her son. She heard his sobs coming from the bathroom and felt her heart break a little bit more. She went to the door and knocked, **"Henry, please let me in."**

Henry had cried until the tears were gone. He sat there and just yelled, **"Go away!"**

Regina had finally had enough of this and she decided that it was time to bring out the big guns. **"Henry William Mills you will open this door right now!"**

Henry knew that tone...and he also knew that when his mom used his full name he was seriously in trouble. He carefully stood up and opened the door.

Regina looked down at her son and crouched down to his level. **"Okay, you're right, I should've told you...but honey, you shouldn't have run away like that. You had me scared to death when I realized you weren't in school."**

For the first time, Henry allowed himself to look at it from his mom's point of view and he lowered his head in shame as he realized that he'd really scared his mom...again. After his accident, in the moments before he'd found out he was adopted, he made a vow to himself that he wouldn't scare his mom again. Despite his anger and confusion over finding out he wasn't who he'd always thought he was...he'd never wanted to scare his mom again. He honestly didn't think she would notice that he wasn't in school. If he hadn't found Emma this trip, he'd have gone home and been in his room before she noticed he was missing.

**"I'm sorry mom."** Henry whispered, too scared now of what his punishment would be now that his mom was mad at him again.

Regina reached out and tilted Henry's face up to look into his eyes. **"You and me, we **_**have**_** to talk to each other. It's the only way to fix this, okay?"**

Henry nodded, **"Okay...but can Emma be a part of the talking?"** He wanted to know his other mother, he needed to know her and ask her why she gave him up.

Regina understood why Henry wanted Emma around, but how would she explain to him why _she_ wanted Emma around? She decided to tackle one problem at a time. **"Um...actually, she's waiting for me at Granny's to talk about that right now. So I'll make you a deal. You get into bed right now without a hassle and...I'll only ground you for one week, deal?"**

Henry grinned, **"Can you ask Miss Nolan to come over while you're gone?"** He didn't want to be alone just yet but also didn't want to risk adding more time to his grounding.

Regina smiled, **"I can call her but no promises. Now, go get ready for bed while I call Katherine, okay?"**

**"Okay."** Henry hesitated for just a moment before he leaned forward and hugged his mom, **"Thank you mom."**

Regina hugged him back as the tears gathered in her eyes.

After a few moments, they parted and Henry left the bathroom to change into his pajamas and get ready for bed. Regina went to her home office and picked up her phone to call Katherine, keeping an eye on the clock. She still had twenty-five minutes before Emma gave up on her. Katherine agreed to come over right away to watch Henry, no questions asked because she knew Regina would tell her all about it later.

Katherine arrived in time to tuck Henry in and send Regina off to the diner with fifteen minutes to spare. Regina left the house and drove as fast as she dared to the diner, praying that Emma was still there.

* * *

Emma was just finishing her milkshake, the burger and fries long gone, when she heard the bell on the door of the diner. Somehow, without even turning around, she knew it was Gina. Other people had entered and left the diner in the forty-five minutes since she'd been there, but this was the first time that sensed something more. Emma had almost forgotten what it felt like to know Gina was in the room just by sensing her presence. She'd missed that feeling this past year.

Regina walked into Granny's and took a second to look around. She spotted Emma right away and smiled, hoping that this talk would go well and that she'd be able to make things right with the beautiful blonde.

Regina walked slowly but with purpose towards the booth where Emma sat and took a seat without saying a word. Before she could say anything to Emma, Ruby was there with a coffee pot and a smile.

**"Good evening Mayor Mills, can I get you anything?"** Ruby knew better than to try to flirt with the Mayor but she was always polite to her.

Regina looked at the younger girl and smiled, **"No thanks Ruby, the coffee is fine."**

Ruby topped off the cup on the table then left them alone.

Regina turned to look at Emma and tried not to get lost in her blue eyes.

Emma watched Gina for a moment then she said, **"You asked for this meeting **_**Madam Mayor**_**, so talk."** She wasn't going to make anything easy for Gina, not when she remembered that the woman she still loved had a husband waiting at home for her.

Regina took a breath, willing herself not to react to hearing her formal title coming from Emma when all she really wanted was for the blonde to call her Gina again and not hate her anymore.

**"I'm sorry."** Regina managed to say before Emma's gaze cut into her.

**"What are you apologizing for?"** A generic 'I'm sorry' didn't mean much to Emma if Gina didn't know what she was apologizing for, she wanted to know specifically. She wanted Gina to say it out loud, to make it real.

Regina took a breath,** "For hurting you, for leaving the way I did...for the note I left that was designed to make you hate me."**

Emma looked at her former lover and felt a pang of sympathy that she quickly pushed away. **"Why did you do it then? Why did you leave in the middle of the night with nothing more than a note telling me you were engaged to someone else? Why Gina?"**

Regina winced, the pain and venom in Emma's voice was almost too much for her to bear. **"I-****I don't really know."**

Emma had always prided herself on knowing when people were lying, it was like her own personal superpower...she was a human lie detector. So when Gina said she didn't know, Emma knew she was lying, and she called her on it. **"That's bullshit and you know it. So just be honest with me and tell me why."**

Regina was at a loss for words, she didn't want to spill her deepest secrets in the very public diner. **"Will you come home with me? Let me explain everything in private, please?"**

Emma shook her head, knowing that she really didn't want to go back to Gina's house and face her husband, or whoever that guy was at the house. She also really didn't think she could be alone with Gina right now, she was still too tempted to forget the last year and pretend it didn't happen. **"It's here and now or I leave and you won't see me ever again."**

Regina tried a different tactic, **"Okay then, can we at least go for a walk? Somewhere private where half the town can't eavesdrop?"**

Emma took a moment to look around and noticed more than a few people who quickly averted their gazes when she caught them watching her and Gina. She sighed, she really hated small towns. **"Fine. Let me pay my bill and we can go for a walk."**

Regina stood up and said, **"No, this one's on me."** She caught Ruby's eye and motioned for her to put Emma's bill on her tab.

Ruby just nodded, knowing better than to even check with the blonde first.

Regina turned back to Emma. **"All set. Let's get out of here."**

Emma was about to argue but decided this wasn't worth fighting about, they already had plenty to fight about as it was. She followed Gina out of the diner and was about to turn left to walk down the sidewalk when Gina gently grabbed her arm and led her towards a sleek Mercedes she'd never seen before. This wasn't the same car Gina was driving when she went to Boston.

Without a word, Regina ushered Emma into the car and soon they were driving towards the woods where Regina knew they could have the privacy she wanted.

Emma was silent on the ride, wondering just where Gina was taking them.

Regina stopped the car a few feet away from where Henry had his accident, somehow feeling that this was the perfect place to confess her sins. This was where she'd almost lost her son and the only thing that had ever scared her that much was the thought of losing Emma again.

Regina sat in the car, not willing to leave the warmth of the car just yet. She turned to look at Emma for a moment then turned back to the windshield, looking without really seeing the forest around them.

Silence enveloped them for a few moments before Emma said, **"Gina-****"**

Regina cut her off, **"My name is Regina. Here in Storybrooke, my name is Regina."** Despite how much she loved hearing Emma call her Gina, she knew that if she managed to convince Emma to stay in Storybrooke, she would have to call her Regina in public.

Emma turned to look at her and said, **"Really? **_**That's**_** what you want to start off with, your name?"** She shook her head in disbelief. In the big picture, Gina, or rather Regina's, real name wasn't that important to her. Still, she took in that little bit of information and waited for her to keep talking.

Regina couldn't help the grin that formed, **"Yeah I know, it's not a big thing but...I want you to stay in Storybrooke and if you decide to stay, then you'll need to know my real name."** Regina looked down at her hands in her lap, fidgeting...she never fidgeted but she was fidgeting now because she was nervous as hell, wondering how she was going to convince Emma to stay without telling her everything.

Emma turned to look out of the passenger window. She stared at the trees and forest and took a moment to think about everything.

Regina took the opportunity to watch Emma, to reacquaint herself with the lines and curves of Emma's face. She felt a swell of emotion in her chest and had to take a deep breath to calm it down. She needed to keep her head clear, she couldn't let her emotions cloud her judgment. If she had any hope of convincing Emma to stay, she needed to use her head, not her heart.

Emma finally turned back to Regina and asked, in a low voice, **"So, we're alone now. Tell me why you left like you did, why you left a note full of lies that broke my heart. Why Regina?"**

Regina hung her head, not able to look at Emma when she said, **"I heard you...I heard what you said and...it scared me so I****-****I left. I'm sorry."**

Emma didn't know what to say to that...she had no idea what Regina was talking about. **"You heard me? What did you hear?"**

Regina turned to her, **"You know what I'm talking about Emma. I heard you tell me you loved me then you fell asleep. Remember now?"**

Emma thought back to that night and suddenly she did remember saying those words. She had forgotten about that in the pain of losing Regina. She honestly didn't think Regina had heard her that night, so she'd blamed the other woman's abandonment on anything else she could think of, even herself.

**"If you heard me say that, why didn't you stick around and talk to me about it?"** Emma couldn't know how ironic it was that she was asking Regina about running from a problem when she had just gotten finished asking Henry why _he_ had run from the problem of his adoption rather than staying to talk to Regina about it.

Regina noticed the irony and she grinned wryly, **"Must be where Henry gets it from."** Regina shook her head, **"I guess for the same reason that my son chose to run away rather than talk to me about the whole adoption thing. Some things are too scary to talk about, Emma."**

**"Scary? What's so scary about asking me about what I said? Regina, I meant what I said. I loved you, so much and I wanted to say it in a more romantic way but I guess my mouth couldn't wait. The day you left...I had planned to tell you when we woke up, when I could look into your dark brown eyes and I could say the words and see your reaction to them."** Emma ran out of words for a moment, not knowing what else she could say.

Regina heard the words and realized that she was a bigger idiot than she'd originally thought she was...she had thrown away her best chance to be happy without a second thought. She had burned a lot of bridges in her past, but she'd never really regretted them the way she regretted this one. **"I'm sorry. I was an idiot. I know I have no right to ask for or expect forgiveness from you so I won't ask. I want you to stay in Storybrooke, I want Henry to know you, he deserves to know you."**

Emma took a moment to think about that. She wanted to stay in town, she wanted to get to know her son...but what she wanted more than anything else was to find a way to have Regina back. Despite the heartbreak, the pain, the lies, Emma still loved Regina. She felt like the world's biggest fool at times for still loving a woman who had so obviously moved on and married someone else, but she couldn't help it. Still, she needed to know for sure, some small masochistic side of her needed to know so she asked, **"What about...your husband? How does he feel about Henry getting to know his birth mom?"**

Regina was confused, she didn't have a husband. **"Emma, I already told you that note I left was a lie. There was no fiance, therefore there is no husband. What are you talking about?"**

**"That guy at your house tonight, the one who checked on Henry and then came outside. Your boyfriend or whoever he is...what did he say about all this?"**

Regina shook her head as it dawned on her that Emma was talking about Graham. **"He doesn't get a say because he and I are not involved. He's the Sheriff and I called him when I noticed Henry was missing."** Regina decided _not_ to mention that Graham was also her ex-boyfriend who had professed to love her as well and then she found him in bed with...someone else. It didn't seem relevant right now, as she tried to keep this fragile peace between herself and Emma.

Emma let out a breath and smiled, **"Good to know."** Emma continued to grin as she made up her mind. She was going to stay in town and get to know her son but she was also staying in town to win Regina back. Now that she knew she wasn't married, Emma was determined to win Regina's heart back.

The car was silent as each woman got lost in her own thoughts about how they would handle this situation. After a moment, Regina started the car again and began driving back to town. It was getting late and she didn't want to keep Katherine out too late.

**"Emma, would you consider spending the night at my house, in the guest bedroom of course."** She hoped Emma would say yes.

Emma was tempted to say yes but she knew that it wasn't a good idea. Being so close to Regina's bedroom was too much of a temptation for her. **"Thank you but I don't think that would be a good idea. I'll just get a room at the bed & breakfast that Ruby told me about while I was waiting for you at the diner."**

**"Why would you do that when there's a perfectly good bedroom at my place? You'd be closer to Henry."** Regina wasn't above using her son to get her way right now.

Emma watched as they got closer to town, **"When I spend the night in your house Regina,"** Emma turned now to smile almost wolfishly at Regina, **"it will be in **_**your**_** bed."**

Regina turned back to the road to compose herself after the rush of arousal those words induced. **"Okay...fair enough."** Regina took a breath then said, **"Um, Emma, there's something I need to tell you."**

**"What is it?"**

Regina faltered a moment to try to think of the right words, **"I have a certain...image to uphold in town. I'm the mayor and if word got out about...us and our past well...it wouldn't be a good thing."**

Emma frowned, **"So...what? You're telling me that you want me to what, pretend we just met?"** Emma didn't know if she could do that.

Regina shifted uncomfortably, **"Um...yes?"**

Emma thought about that, then realized that if they 'wiped the slate clean' so to speak, maybe she could woo Regina properly this time around, prove to her that they belonged together. The idea had some merit. **"Um...okay. In public, when there are people around, I'll pretend that we just met today. But there's something I think you should know."**

Regina pulled the car up to the curb behind Emma's yellow bug and parked. She turned to face Emma, **"And what's that?"**

Emma grinned as she opened the car door. She slipped out of the car and leaned on the window as she gazed at Regina. She knew that if she was still in the car when she said what she was going to say, she might not make it out of the car alive. Besides, this way she got to have the last word. **"Since the whole 'we just met' thing is a ruse, I've decided that while I am getting to know Henry...I'm going to win you back."** Emma winked at Regina and then stood up and began walking towards her car.

Regina just sat in her car, too stunned to react. She watched as Emma got into her car and drove towards Granny's Bed & Breakfast. After a few moments, Regina recovered from the surprise and took a breath. She smiled as she realized that Emma had basically just told her that she hadn't given up on her...that they had a chance as long as Regina went along with the 'wooing' plan.

Regina started the car and drove home, suddenly giddy at the thought of being courted by Emma. She wondered if there was a way to date in a small town without _everyone_ knowing about it. She didn't think there was, but she was determined to find out.

TBC...


	4. We Have That In Common

**AN: Here's the next chapter. I pulled some dialogue from the pilot episode but I altered it to fit my story. It occurred to me that, if Regina and Henry don't know about the curse, how is Emma going to break it? Wouldn't it be easier if she knew about it to break it? So now I had to figure out a way to tell Emma about the curse. It took some thinking but I finally figured out a way. It won't be revealed for a few more chapters yet, but I did figure it out. Hopefully, it won't disappoint or be too contrived and "convenient". Anyway, enjoy and as always let me know how I'm doing so I know I'm on the right track! This is my first ever OUAT story.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: We Have That in Common**

Emma managed to find Granny's Bed & Breakfast and she rented a room, stating that she was only staying a week so as not to spark any early rumors about her presence in the town.

Emma settled down onto the bed, surprised at how comfortable it was, and quickly fell asleep, it had been a long and exhausting day.

* * *

Regina walked into her house and headed for the living room where she found Katherine watching TV as she waited for her. Regina smiled at her friend, **"Thanks for watching him on such short notice Kath."**

Katherine turned to her best friend and smiled, **"Not a problem, I wasn't really doing anything anyway."** She paused a moment then, **"So...you ready to tell me what's going on yet?"**

Regina sat down on the couch and took a moment to think about what she was going to tell Katherine. She decided on a cleaned up version of the truth. **"Henry ran away today, this morning. He skipped school and just ran off...to Boston. He came home tonight with...his birth mother, Emma Swan."**

Katherine was a bit surprised at the news that Henry had run away, she almost missed the 'birth mother' part...almost. **"Wait, what do you mean his birth mother?"**

**"I adopted Henry when he was three weeks old, I never told anyone. No one really asked. So I just let everyone think he was my biological son. He found out the truth shortly after his accident and he began looking for her. He never even told me he knew, he just...he decided that since I hadn't told him about it that he was better off with her. So he tracked her down and brought her back here."** Regina wanted so badly to tell her friend the rest, about her relationship with Emma and that Henry was sure to think they had both lied and betrayed him if he ever found out about the time they shared in Boston years ago. But she knew she couldn't, in all honesty, it wasn't just her story to tell, it was Emma's as well.

Katherine took a moment to process it all and she turned to look at Regina, **"So, let me see if I got this right. Henry was adopted, you kept it from him, he found out anyway and then somehow tracked his birth mother down and brought her back here? Why would he bring her back here?"**

Regina just shrugged, **"I don't know. I didn't get that far when I was asking him about it."**

Katherine just nodded, not knowing what to say to that. It was quiet for a few moment as they sat there. Then Katherine noticed the time, **"Well it's late. I should get going, but Regina, if you need to talk to someone you know where to find me."**

Regina smiled, suddenly very tired. **"Yes I know. Thank you Katherine, you're a good friend. Let me walk you to the door."**

Regina walked with Katherine to the door then locked it behind the blonde before she secured the house for the night and set the alarm. She trudged upstairs and checked on Henry before she went to her own bedroom.

She got ready for bed and was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

Regina awoke the next morning at her usual time but this morning, rather than jump out of bed to begin the day, she laid there for a few moments, remembering the night before. She smiled as she remembered the look on Emma's face when she told her she was going to 'woo' her. It sent a surge of warmth through her at the thought of how Emma was going to tackle the challenge. Not that she had much of a challenge, per se, but Regina wasn't going to just give in...she wasn't lying about having an image to protect in Storybrooke.

Dating Emma, re-kindling the flame that had once burned so hot, and keeping it under wraps was going to be difficult. Regina wished she was the type to just ignore what other people said and thought about her and allow herself to be happy, but she couldn't seem to do it.

Reluctantly, she climbed out of bed and got ready for her day. When she was dressed, she walked to Henry's room to wake her son for school. To say he wasn't a morning person was an understatement so Regina had fully expected to open his door and find him still asleep in his bed, like she had every morning since he was 7.

This morning, however, she walked in and immediately noticed that the bed was immaculately made and the room was empty. Regina felt a rise of panic in her chest as she realized that Henry wasn't at home. She quickly searched the rest of the house to confirm what she already knew to be true...Henry had run away again.

* * *

Emma woke up slowly, the light from the window gently drawing her out of a very pleasant dream. She carefully stretched and then lay there for a moment, taking in the room and remembering where she was and why she was there; Regina...and Henry.

The woman she'd lost a year ago and the son she'd given up a decade ago...each of them represented something that she'd never had before, the potential for a family. She just had to convince Regina to give her a second chance. Emma grinned as she thought about how much fun it was going to be to woo Regina the right way. Before, they'd skipped some major steps and just fallen into bed together on their first meeting. Emma was determined to not repeat that mistake. She was going to do whatever it took to make Regina fall in love with her again before she allowed herself to be seduced by the dark haired woman's skills.

Before she could dwell on the memories of just how skillful Regina was in bed, there was a knock on her door. Frowning and curious, Emma slipped out of bed and went to answer it, not remembering that she was only wearing a tank top and panties.

She opened the door and was surprised to see Regina standing there, looking worried and upset.**"Regina, what are you doing here?"**

Regina was almost too worried about Henry to notice Emma's attire...almost. She took a moment to compose herself as memories of their time in Boston came flooding back. She needed to focus on finding Henry right now, not her hormones. **"Emma, is Henry here?"**

Now Emma was confused, **"What? No he's not here. Isn't he at home, or at school?"**

**"No he's not. I woke up this morning and he was gone. I checked with the school and he wasn't there. Emma, I'm worried about him, what if he left town again?"**

Emma reached out and pulled Regina into her room and closed the door. She pulled Regina into a hug and tried to soothe her, **"He didn't leave town. He knows I'm still here and that's what he wanted, to have me here. So just relax. He's probably just at a friend's house or something. Did you call his friends?"**

Regina savored the feel of Emma's arms around her for a moment before she pulled away, **"He doesn't really have friends, he's a bit of a loner."**

_'Must get that from me.'_ Emma thought, then, **"Every kid's got friends. What about online? Maybe he was emailing someone."**

Regina looked at Emma as if she was talking a different language. **"I'm not...I don't know I didn't think to check his computer. How do you know all of this?"**

Emma smiled, **"It's my job to know. It's what I do, I track people down for a living...though for the life of me I never could find you after..."** She trailed off, not wanting to rehash the past right then.

Regina gave a wry grin, **"After I ran away like a scared virgin?"** She could make a joke about it now, because she knew that Emma wasn't going anywhere.

Emma grinned, **"Yeah...anyway, um...if you want I can go with you to check his computer."**

Regina smiled, **"I'd really appreciate that, I'm afraid I'm not very good with computers."**

Emma just nodded, **"Not a problem, just give me a minute to get dressed."**

If Emma expected Regina to excuse herself from the room or even turn away to give her some privacy, she was mistaken. It honestly never occurred to Regina to turn away, she was too preoccupied with thinking about all the dangers she'd read about concerning the internet and pedophiles and predators. Her brain was too busy conjuring up nightmare scenarios of Henry alone with someone like that to notice that Emma was changing her clothes.

Emma shrugged, realizing that Regina wasn't going to leave or turn around, and remembering that she'd seen it all before so she just went about getting dressed. They were working against the clock as it was, so she just hurried through her routine and threw on a pair of jeans, her boots and a new tank top. Before too long she was ready to go and she pulled Regina out of her thoughts.

They walked to Regina's car and got in, heading to the Mayor's house.

* * *

Emma was sitting at Henry's computer, impressed that he'd had the forethought to clear his browser history. She grinned as she murmured, **"Clever kid, but not clever enough."** She took out a flash drive she always carried with her and before long, she had the kid's full browser history.

She clicked on a few links and found out how he had tracked her down, again impressed with his skills, he was obviously smart and resourceful. She turned to Regina, **"He paid for a website called 'who's you momma' and it's expensive. Does he have a credit card?"**

Regina looked at her like she was crazy, **"He's **_**ten**_**, of course he doesn't have a credit card."**

Emma shrugged, ignoring the edge in Regina's voice and chalking it up to the stress of the moment. The woman had not stopped pacing from the moment they entered Henry's room. **"Well, he used one for the site. Let's just check the payment history."** She clicked on another link and the credit card information popped up. It wasn't a name she recognized, so there went her theory that he'd swiped Regina's card. **"Who's Mary Margaret Blanchard? It's her credit card."**

Regina stopped pacing when she heard that name. She felt the usual, if unexplainable, animosity rise up in her at the sound of the woman's name. She could never figure out what, but there was something about the sweet, innocent-looking school teacher that Regina couldn't stand. She had always figured it was because the woman was _too_ nice and sweet and always in a good mood. No one was ever _always_ in a good mood and it made her suspicious.**"That's Henry's teacher. Come on, we're going to the school to talk to her. She has some explaining to do."**

* * *

Emma had gone with Regina to the school, curious as to why Henry was using his teacher's credit card in the first place, but also wondering what this teacher had done to make Regina look like she wanted to rip her apart.

They got to the school just in time to hear the bell for recess. The kids ran all around them and Emma suddenly got very nervous. She wasn't really very good around kids.

They walked into an empty classroom and Emma hung back a bit as Regina began...well interrogating was the only word for what Regina was doing to the poor teacher.

Mary Margaret Blanchard noticed the Mayor's arrival in her classroom and became wary, **"Miss Mills, what are you doing here?"**

Regina didn't waste time with small talk and she certainly didn't think to regulate her voice. She had an image to protect and despite the fact that Emma was standing behind her, she was determined to protect that image, even if it meant that Emma had to see her being a major bitch to someone as sweet as Miss Blanchard. **"Where is my son?"** There was no mistaking the menace and anger in her voice.

Mary Margaret was confused, **"Henry? I assumed he was home sick with you."**

**"Do you think I would be here if he was?"** Now Regina's voice took on the tone of someone speaking to a stupid child. She was getting annoyed just being in the same room as this woman.

Mary Margaret noticed movement behind the Mayor as a blonde in a red jacket shifted from one foot to the other. She wondered who the woman was but then turned back to the mayor in time to see her spare a glance at the stranger. **"Did you give him your credit card so he could find her?"** At this, Regina jerked her head in Emma's direction, knowing she was going to have some explaining to do later to Emma about her attitude right now.

Mary Margaret saw this as an opportunity to find out who the woman was, and possibly to stall for a moment to give the Mayor a chance to calm down a bit. **"I'm sorry, who are you?"**

Emma, not expecting to be part of the conversation, and certainly not expecting to have to answer who she was, stuttered a bit as she thought about what to say. She didn't want to let the cat out of the bag if this teacher didn't know about the adoption but she also didn't want to say she was his mother...that was Regina's title.

Luckily, Regina came to her rescue, sort of, and said, **"The woman who gave him up for adoption."**

Emma flinched a little at the tone in Regina's voice. It was cold and hard, as if she truly didn't see her as anything more than the woman who gave Henry up for adoption. It hurt a bit but she forced the pain away to focus on what was happening right then. She notices the look on the teacher's face, **"You don't know anything about this, do you?" **

**"No, unfortunately not."** Mary Margaret said before she checked her wallet and saw that a card was missing, she had to hide a tiny grin, Henry had taken the card that offered double miles. **"Clever boy."** Mary Margaret said under breath.

Emma couldn't help thinking, _'not clever enough though, he didn't think to return the card before it was missed.'_

Regina sensed that there was nothing more to be gained here. It was obvious to her that Mary Margaret didn't know anything so she turned and walked out of the classroom, fully expecting Emma to be right behind her. In her haste, she accidentally knocked down some books off a desk. She might've stopped to pick them up but then remembered where she was and just kept going.

Emma followed her to the door then stopped her. She looked into her eyes and said in a low voice so the teacher wouldn't hear her, **"I'm going to stick around for a minute. There's something she's holding back and I think it's because of you."**

Regina spared a glance at Mary Margaret who was standing there trying not to look scared. She grinned and turned back to Emma, **"Okay, but I want a full report. And Emma, please just find him?"** Regina allowed her eyes to soften briefly so Emma could see she wasn't the bitch she'd just pretended to be in there.

Emma nodded, hiding a grin, **"I'll find him. You go to work okay?"**

Regina was about to argue, saying she would take the day off and wait for Henry at home but her cell phone rang before she could say anything. She answered it and realized it was her secretary, reminding her of her busy schedule. Regina hung up the phone and sighed, **"Alright, I'll be at my office. But I'll be at home for lunch."** The implication was clear to Emma, find Henry by lunch and bring him home.

Emma just nodded then watched as Regina left.

Once Regina was gone, Emma turned to face the teacher, Mary Margaret, and saw the other woman visibly relax once Regina was no longer in her classroom. Mary Margaret walked to the mess Regina had made and knelt down to pick up the books and papers.

Emma went over to help her, deciding that she needed to pretend as if she didn't like Regina, that she wasn't on the Mayor's side if she wanted to get any information out of this woman. Her first step was to establish some rapport. **"Sorry to bother you. I'm Emma, by the way. Emma Swan."**

**"Mary Margaret. It's okay. I fear this is partially my fault anyway."** Mary Margaret sensed there was something about this woman that she could trust. Something about her was slipping through the normal defenses she had around her and making her look at her like someone with a good heart.

**"How so?"** Emma was curious now.

Mary Margaret sighed as she began to explain, **"When Henry had his accident, there was some internal damage and he'd lost a lot of blood. Regina wasn't a match for his blood type, that's when Henry overheard her telling the doctor that he wasn't her biological son."** The women straightened up and Mary Margaret invited Emma to have a seat on one of the desks as she moved to put the books on a table by the wall, the whole time still talking. **"I volunteer at the hospital in my spare time and I realized that my blood type matched Henry's so I donated blood for the transfusion. When Henry was in the hospital recovering from his operations and his injuries, I stopped by to visit with him. His mother was working longer hours, in Henry's mind he saw it as avoiding him. But the truth was, she must have been scared to see him like that, the boy she'd raised hooked up to machines and lying in a hospital bed."** She shook her head in sympathy, **"We talked a lot during my visits. He found out that I had donated the blood and...I guess it formed a bond with him. After he was released, he would stay after school almost every day to talk with me. I didn't mind because, he's such a lonely little boy. He doesn't really have many friends his own age and, with the adoption revelation, he seemed to withdraw further into himself. So I tried to draw him out of his shell a bit."**

Emma listened and tried really hard to find some sinister motive to the teacher's visits and talks with Henry but she couldn't find any. This woman just seemed far too innocent and sweet for something like that.

Mary Margaret realized that recess would be over soon and she still had to run to the office to make some copies of the worksheets she was assigning as homework that night. She began to lead Emma out of the classroom.

**"You see, Henry hasn't had the easiest time of it lately."**

Emma, thinking she was referring to Regina, and against her own feelings she decided to keep playing her role of anti-Regina confidant. **"Yeah, she's kind of a hard ass."**

Mary Margaret just sighed, **"It's more than her. He's like any adopted child, he wrestles with that most basic question that they all inevitably face: why would anyone give me away?"** Suddenly, she remembered she was talking to the woman who had given Henry away and she felt bad, not wanting this woman to think she'd been judging her in any way. **"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean in any way to judge you."**

Despite the fact that her words caused some pain and guilt in her chest, Emma just said, **"It's okay."** Not wanting to end up defending her choices to a total stranger...even if she did feel a strange kind of kinship with her.

Mary Margaret felt the need to make it up to her anyway so she explained, **"I spent time with him and talked to him because I wanted to give him the most important thing anyone can have: hope. Believing that there's even the possibility of a light at the end of the tunnel, in a chance at happiness, is a very powerful thing."**

There was something in the other woman's eyes that had Emma thinking once again that the teacher knew more than she was saying. **"You know where he is."**

Mary Margaret grinned and leaned closer as she said in a low voice, **"You might want to check his castle."**

**"His castle?"** This was the first she'd ever heard of Henry having a castle.

Mary Margaret just nodded, **"It's his hideaway. His...fortress of solitude if you will. It's south of town, by the waterfront. When you leave here, take a right for two blocks until you see Forest Avenue, then turn left. Three blocks down Forest, you'll reach Weeping Willow Drive, take a right. Follow Weeping Willow Drive to the end, there's a small park that no one even remembers is there, not since the bigger one was built closer to the center of town. That's where he's probably retreated to."**

Emma smiled at the teacher, glad that she was cooperating and had given fairly clear instructions. **"Thanks."**

Emma left the building then, jogging to where she left her car. She got in and drove back to the school. From there she followed Mary Margaret's directions, hoping that she'd find Henry there because if he wasn't there...she didn't know where else to look and she was going to have to go back to Regina and tell her she struck out. Emma was _not_ looking forward to _that_ conversation.

* * *

Emma found the small park with no problem and she parked in what used to be a tiny parking lot. She got out of the car and looked around. She spotted a jungle gym type of structure that did kind of look like a castle. She grinned, it was something she would've loved to play on as a kid, _if_ she'd had the kind of childhood that allowed for trips to the local park.

Emma approached the structure and saw Henry sitting down just staring at the town from across the bay. He looked a little lost and alone. Emma sat down next to him and waited a moment before she broke the silence, **"You're a hard person to find, even in a small town like this one."**

Henry grinned in spite of himself, **"Guess we have that in common then, don't we?"**

Emma smiled, **"Yeah I guess we do. But I found you, just like you found me, so we have that in common too."** She leaned over and bumped his shoulder with her own, playfully, trying to cheer him up.

Henry stared at the town for a few moments before he worked up the courage to ask Emma the question he'd been meaning to ask her ever since he found out he was adopted. **"Why did you give me away?"**

Emma sighed, **"You start with the hard questions huh? Okay well...truth is, I was 18 when I found out I was pregnant. I wasn't anywhere near ready to be anyone's mom. I knew that the only way for you to have a good life was with someone who could give you the things I couldn't. I put you up for adoption because I wanted you to have your best chance at a great life."** She didn't know if any of that made any sense but she hoped he would just accept it.

Henry thought about what she'd said and realized she was right. It was probably the best solution, and until he'd found out he'd been adopted, his life had been pretty good. But ever since his accident, things were different. His mom had seemed to pull away from him, like there was something different about him that made her stop loving him. At the time it had hurt, and he'd focused that pain into finding his birth mom, thinking if he did, she'd love him and take him away from his mom who didn't love him anymore.

Henry turned to look at Emma, **"Now that you're here, maybe we can be a family? You and me."**

Emma sighed, **"Henry, I have to take you back home to your mom. However, I am staying in town for a bit, to get to know you. Your mom already agreed that she won't stop us from spending time together as long as I have you home in time for dinner every night."**

**"You're sending me back to her?"** The pain in the little boy's voice tore at Emma's heart.

**"I have to, the law is on her side, and I promised her I would."** Emma somehow felt like she was betraying him by bringing him back to Regina, but she knew it was the right thing to do.

Emma may have given birth to Henry, but Regina was his mom. She was the one who had raised him and loved him and given him a life she could never hope to give him.

Emma hopped down from the little bridge they were sitting on and began walking to her car, knowing Henry would follow.

Henry tried one last time to convince her to not send him back home. **"You can't send me back there. You don't know what it's like with her! My life sucks!"** Living with a mom who didn't love you was worse than not having a mom, in Henry's opinion.

Emma had reached her breaking point and she began to cry, seeing just how much Henry didn't like Regina. She turned to him and said, **"You want to know what sucks? Being left abandoned on the side of the road. My parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital! I ended up in the foster system, and I had a family until I was three, but then they had their own kid so they sent me back."** Emma crouched down now and looked Henry right in the eye for this next part because she wanted him to see she was telling the truth, **"Look, your mom is trying her best. I know it's hard, and I know you think she doesn't love you...but at least she **_**wants**_** you!"**

Henry wasn't going to be convinced so easily. **"She doesn't want **_**me**_**, she wants a trophy kid for her political image."**

Emma's voice became stronger, **"No she wants **_**you**_**. She loves you."** Emma sighed, then she got an idea. **"I'll make you a deal. You go back, really try to give your mom the benefit of the doubt, and I'll work on softening her up a bit, deal?"**

Henry thought about it for a moment, then smiled, **"Deal."** He knew that if Emma had gotten his mom to agree to let them see each other, then surely she could get his mom to loosen up a bit, maybe even to love him again. It was worth a shot.

Emma smiled, she held her hand out to Henry and they shook hand, sealing their deal. Together, they walked to her car.

Emma made sure he was buckled in before she began driving towards Regina's house. She was silently hoping that, while she was wooing Regina, she could get the other woman to lighten up a bit around Henry and not be such a hard ass with him. It was worth a try, and this way, Henry went back home without a fight. She just hoped that Regina didn't find out about their deal, because that could undo any progress she made towards winning Regina's heart back.

TBC...

* * *

**So, since Henry doesn't know about the curse and isn't thinking Regina is the evil queen, I made his angst be related to the whole adoption issue and his belief that, since he was adopted that Regina doesn't love him anymore. This will be Henry's main issue with Regina, his belief that, since the accident that basically pointed out that they are not related, Regina stopped loving him. Like she was reminded that he wasn't really her son. Is that confusing? Hope not. Let me know!**


	5. The Things We Do

**AN: Sorry for the delay. This chapter was a bit tougher as I have so much I want to include but I also have to get through a few things. I wanted to set Emma up so her situation was as close to the show as possible but some things had to be changed because of Regina's canon animosity not being present in this story. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Things We Do**

Emma stopped her car in front of Regina's house and cut the engine. She turned to look at Henry. **"Remember, we had a deal."**

Henry turned to look at her and, with a pout, he nodded. **"I remember."**

Emma nodded, **"Good, so how about...when your mom comes out to greet you, you give her a hug. Can you do that?"**

Henry looked out the windshield for a moment, thinking about Emma's request. It really wasn't such a big thing to ask, and before his accident, it wasn't even something anyone had ever felt the need to ask him to do, he'd always just done it. He loved his mom, despite the pain and anger he still held on to over her role in not telling him he was adopted. Henry sighed as he turned back to Emma, **"Yeah, I can do that...just don't forget your end of our deal."**

Emma grinned, **"Not to worry kid, it's practically a done deal."** Emma thought about all the ways she could 'convince' Regina to loosen up around Henry. **"Okay kid, time to go face your mom. Come on."**

Emma got out of the car and was silently relieved when Henry followed without a fight. They met up at the foot of the path to the front door and Henry grabbed Emma's hand as they walked towards the front door.

Regina had been home for fifteen minutes and all she'd been able to do was pace and look out the window every other minute. She was anxious to know if Emma had been successful in finding Henry. Truth be told, she was also eager to see the blonde who held her heart...even if she didn't know it yet.

Finally, she looked out the window and saw Emma walking up the path with Henry by her side. Regina wanted to throw the door open and run to her son, but she stopped herself just in time, knowing Henry didn't want to be back there with her. It hurt her to acknowledge it, but she knew she wasn't her son's favorite person right now.

Regina settled for standing at the open door, watching as Henry let go of Emma's hand and walked onto the small porch. He stopped in front of her and looked at her.

After a moment, Henry smiled and before Regina knew what was happening, he was hugging her.

Henry hugged his mom and, before he pulled away he whispered, **"I'm sorry I worried you mom."**

Regina heard the words and felt tears prick her eyes. She fought them back as she released her son and watched him wave to Emma before running up the stairs to his room.

Regina turned to Emma and motioned her to come closer.

Emma stepped onto the porch and stood facing Regina.

Regina smiled at her former lover, **"What did you say to him?"**

Emma just grinned, **"I just reminded him of some facts he was forgetting. Don't worry Madam Mayor, he's not likely to forget again."**

Regina tipped her head in silent agreement to allow Emma to keep a secret or two. **"Well, on that fairly cryptic remark, how would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?"**

Emma shook her head ruefully, smiling, **"Sounds good to me. Lead the way Regina."**

Emma followed Regina into the house and to the study. Regina poured two glasses of apple cider and handed one to the blonde. They sat on opposite chairs, facing each other as they enjoyed the drink.

After a few moments, Emma placed the empty glass on the coffee table and stood up. She walked over to Regina and leaned down, bracing herself by placing her hands on the arm rests of the chair Regina sat in, and she smiled, **"For the record, I'm not here to try to take Henry from you or take your place in his life. I would just like to get to know him...while I find a way to win your heart back. Because you and me Regina, we are **_**so**_** not over, understand?"**

Regina looked into Emma's blue eyes and saw only truth and sincerity in them. **"I think I got it."**

Emma, not convinced and also far too tempted to resist, leaned closer and placed a firm, loving kiss on Regina's lips. When she pulled away she winked at the Mayor and straightened up. **"Just something to think about tonight in your bed, Regina."** Emma turned and walked to the door. She opened it and then turned back to a still stunned Regina, **"By the way, that cider...is amazing. Good bye baby."**

With that, Emma slipped out of the room and out of the house. She made it to her car and drove off to Granny's.

Regina finally came to her senses, just in time to see Emma drive away. She touched her fingers to her lips and smiled, remembering the kiss and longing for more. Slowly, she made her way upstairs to check on Henry before going back to town hall and finishing her work day.

* * *

Emma stopped at the diner for some lunch and ended up talking with Ruby for a few hours. She didn't see Regina again for the rest of the day and she silently wondered if the kiss had been too much. She honestly couldn't say why she'd given in to the temptation other than it had been too hard to resist.

She didn't regret kissing Regina, she just hoped it hadn't been too much too soon. She wanted to do this right. Emma was brought out of her thoughts by the dark haired woman who slid into the booth across from her.

Ruby smiled at the blonde newcomer. She was on her break right now so she decided to spend her time off talking to the cute blonde. **"Hi there."**

Emma smiled, politely so as not to offend the girl, **"Hey Ruby, what's going on?"**

Ruby shrugged, **"I'm on my break, thought I'd spend it talking with you, if you don't mind."**

**"I don't mind but, why me?"** Emma was confused, not used to being the center of attention.

Ruby shifted until she was sitting sideways in the booth, sitting back against the wall with her legs stretched out on the seat. She turned to Emma and grinned, **"Because **_**you**_** are the most interesting thing to happen in this sleepy little town in I don't know how long. Everybody's wondering who you are and why you're here. You're a mystery Miss Emma, and I've decided to be the one to uncover the truth."** There was a hint of flirting in Ruby's tone but mostly, the waitress was really curious about Emma and why she had come to Storybrooke of all places.

Emma shook her head, **"I doubt that Ruby. I'm no mystery. But please, feel free to try your best."** Emma knew there was no way Ruby would learn anything about her that she didn't want the woman to know so she felt safe in inviting the curious beauty to try her best.

Ruby giggled, more determined than ever to find out what it was about Emma that kept her intrigued.

* * *

Suspicious eyes watched from the darkened corner as Ruby reclined in the booth, _flirting_ with the blonde newcomer. It was so obvious to anyone with eyes that Ruby had one thing on her mind: getting into the blonde's pants.

Fury and a tiny bit of jealousy welled up inside the watcher until it released in hot, angry tears. Hands raised and furiously wiped away the tears, a new resolve hardening as the watcher turned from the sight of Ruby and her flirting. This wasn't going to go unpunished.

* * *

Emma left the diner just before eight, determined to swing by Regina's house to say good night to Henry...and to see Regina.

Emma parked in front of Regina's house and paused a moment to take a breath, bracing herself for whatever reception she was likely to get for arriving unannounced. She got out of the car and began walking up the path to the front door.

She rang the bell and waited for Regina to open the door.

Regina was sitting in her study reading a magazine while Henry spent the last fifteen minutes before his bedtime watching a movie in the living room when the doorbell rang. Sighing, Regina put the magazine down and headed for the door.

She wasn't surprised that Henry hadn't budged from the couch, his attention firmly on his Finding Nemo movie. Regina opened the front door and smiled when she saw Emma standing there.

**"Good evening Miss Swan. To what do we owe the pleasure?"** Regina's voice was a study in sultry seduction.

Emma's eyes raked up and down Regina's body in a slow, deliberate appraisal before deep blue met dark brown. Emma smiled, **"Do I really need a reason?"**

Regina cleared her throat, **"It's polite to have one."**

Emma shrugged, **"Okay...how about, I'm here to see you and Henry?"**

Regina took a moment to study Emma's face, seeing the truth of her statement. She stepped back to allow Emma to enter the house, **"then by all means, please come inside."**

Emma walked into the house and heard the door close behind her. She turned to face Regina, **"Um, where's Henry right now?"**

Regina nodded her head towards the living room where Henry was still enthralled by his movie. **"Watching a movie."**

Emma grinned, **"Good."** She moved forward and soon had the mayor pressed against the back of the front door. She licked her lips before she closed the distance between them and claimed those perfect red lips with her own.

Regina surrendered to Emma's kiss almost immediately, not even trying to deny that she wanted this, that she had wanted this all day long.

Emma reveled in Regina's easy surrender for a few moments, using her lips and tongue to make sure the other woman knew _exactly_ who was in charge right now.

After a few moments, Emma pulled back and smirked at the dazed look on Regina's face. Before she could recover, Emma whispered, **"I'm going to go say hi to our son now. I'll be back in a few."**

Emma then walked off towards the living room, intent on spending some time with Henry before he had to go to bed. She also wanted to give Regina time to compose herself before she had to face the little boy.

Regina watched in a haze as Emma walked towards the living room. After a moment, she shook her head to dispel the fog that Emma's kiss had created. Damn but that girl could kiss...and it had been so long since Regina had been kissed like that, that it made her very easy pickings.

Regina turned to head back to the study, knowing Emma would know where to find her, when something stopped her dead in her tracks. _'Did she just say __**our**__ son?"_ Regina's automatic reaction was anger. _'Henry is __**my**__ son, dammit!'_ Before she could get a good head of steam going though, a small, hopeful part of her brain chimed in, _'But can't you just picture it?'_

Suddenly, Regina _was_ picturing it, a nice, normal domestic scene unfolded in her mind's eye of her and Emma, together, raising Henry as their son. It was such a simple fantasy, days where she'd get home from work and Emma would be there to greet her with a kiss and the latest exploits of their son. She even pictured a small toddler, a girl, with Emma's deep blue eyes and her own dark hair. A child born of their love, who was as smart and impish as her big brother.

Regina could see it, she wanted it so much her heart ached for it. But she knew it wasn't going to happen. Sooner or later, Emma would come to her senses and realize she didn't love her. She would leave Regina then, and possibly even take Henry with her because he was her biological son. And Regina knew, that if it came down to letting Henry choose, she would lose every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Regina growled in frustration as she cleared the forbidden, impossible images from her mind and reminded herself that everyone always left her. It was a fact of her life that she was destined to always be left behind. First her parents, then her lovers of the past, and soon...Emma as well. She just had to face reality, even if she much preferred the fantasy she'd just had.

* * *

After Henry had been put to bed, Emma had spent a few hours on the living room couch with Regina, just holding her as they watched a sappy romantic comedy. Regina had objected at first but Emma had convinced her to watch it.

Regina was pleasantly surprised to find out it was the same movie Emma had taken her to on their last night together before her fear had made her run away from the woman who loved her.

After the movie, Emma had given her a heated kiss goodnight then slipped out the front door, claiming that she wanted to do this dating thing right and sleeping together on their 'first date' was not the right way to go.

Regina had reluctantly agreed and let her leave. She went to bed that night thinking of Emma and eventually dreaming about her when she fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Emma had just finished getting dressed when there was a knock on her door. Smiling, thinking it was Regina, Emma answered the door. She was surprised to see Granny, the elderly woman who ran the inn and the diner standing there.

**"Granny, hi, what's up?"**

Granny took a moment to really look at Emma before she began talking, her face carefully schooled into a look of sympathy and regret. **"Emma, dear, I am so sorry but there was a problem with your credit card, it came back as being reported stolen. I tried once more but the same thing happened. I'm afraid I had no choice dear but to call the sheriff."**

At that, Emma saw the guy from Regina's house, the Sheriff, step out of the shadows by the left of the door and come closer. **"I'm sorry Miss Swan, but you'll have to come with me."**

Emma didn't know what to say, there was no way her credit card should've had any problem at all. She was up to date on her payments and had never had any reason to report them stolen. **"There's got to be some mistake Sheriff."**

Graham just nodded, **"I'm sure there is, but until we sort it all out, I'll need you to come with me."**

Granny decided to speak up then, **"Sheriff, make sure she takes her things with her. I won't be renting rooms to criminals."**

Emma sighed, wondering what was happening. Surely she'd fallen into some nightmare and would be waking up any minute. Until then, though, she would just play along and hope she woke up before the bogeyman showed up.

Emma packed her things into her duffel bag and followed the Sheriff to his car. She rode along silently, trying to figure out what in the world was going on and how she was going to fix it.

* * *

Three hours later, Emma slammed the phone down in the police station in frustration. It had taken her over two hours to reach a live operator on the customer service line for her credit card only to be told that there had been a 'breach in our security' that had resulted in several accounts being marked as stolen. They had apologized for the inconvenience and had promised to send her a new card, however, they couldn't reactivate her current card.

Emma had given Regina's address as her shipping address, certain the brunette wouldn't mind. She was thankful that Graham had been called away during the phone call so he hadn't heard her give the Mayor's address to the credit card company.

Graham returned just in time to see Emma slam the phone down. He winced at the force of the motion and asked, **"I take it that didn't go well then?"**

Emma looked up at the Sheriff and grimaced, **"Good guess. There was a glitch in their system."**

Graham nodded sympathetically. **"Well, I'm sure if you explain it to Granny she'll understand."**

Emma shook her head, **"I doubt it but it's worth a try."** She wasn't about to tell him that she was seriously considering taking Regina up on her offers of a guest room. She didn't want to blur the line just yet, but she didn't see any other option right now. She was fairly certain that Granny wasn't going to extend her any credit or anything like that, she had seen the look in the older woman's eyes.

Emma noticed the time then looked at Graham, **"So am I under arrest or am I free to go?"**

Graham grinned, **"Well there's nothing to really hold you on...unless you'd like the cell for the night."**

Emma chuckled, **"Tempting but I'll pass. It's almost lunch time and since I had to skip breakfast, I am famished. So I'll see you later Sheriff."** Emma stood up and walked out of the police station, aware of the cop's eyes fixed firmly on her ass. It used to annoy her when guys would leer at her ass but now, it didn't even faze her.

* * *

Emma was sitting in the diner waiting for her lunch to arrive when someone slid into the booth across from her. She looked up and smiled when she saw the brunette school teacher. **"Hey Miss Blanchard. Shouldn't you be teaching a class or something?"**

Mary Margaret just smiled, **"It's lunch time Miss Swan, and please call me Mary."**

**"Well, Mary, you can call me Emma. What brings you to my little booth?"** Emma was curious about the teacher's motives, wondering if, like Ruby, she had acquired yet another admirer that she was going to have let down easy.

Mary Margaret just shrugged, **"I usually have lunch alone here, but I saw you sitting here and I thought I'd join you, if you don't mind."**

Emma smiled, **"No, I don't mind."**

Mary Margaret grinned then noticed the duffel bag sitting next to Emma, it made her curious. **"So Emma, do you always travel with a duffel bag?"**

Emma glanced at the bag then back at Mary, **"No not always. There was a, um...misunderstanding and Granny evicted me from the inn."**

Mary Margaret was surprised, she'd never known Granny to evict anyone from the inn, mostly because there weren't that many people renting rooms in the small town. She looked down, **"oh."**

Silence fell on the table as both women got lost in their thoughts. Emma was thinking about how to ask Regina about the guest room without having her throw her words back in her face about only sleeping in Regina's house if it was in her bed.

Mary Margaret was thinking about how to ask what she was about to ask without giving Emma the wrong idea.

In the silence, Ruby walked up to the table and placed their food on the table. She winked at Emma then walked away.

Emma frowned as she suddenly realized that she hadn't seen Mary order anything. **"How did Ruby know what to bring you? You didn't even order anything, did you?"**

Mary just grinned, **"That's the good thing about small towns Emma, the waitress at the local diner eventually learns what you want to eat without having to actually order anything."**

Emma just nodded, **"I guess that's a good thing."**

They began to eat, comfortable in the silence. Emma was surprised at how quickly and easily she had gotten comfortable with the teacher. It usually took her a while to warm up to someone new but there was something about Mary Margaret Blanchard that just seemed to draw Emma in, and not in a sexual way. It was more like...as silly as it sounded...a feeling of comfort and, a homecoming of sorts. She shook those thoughts off as she finished her lunch. Mary Margaret finally worked up the nerve to say, **"You know, um...since Granny's isn't an option anymore, and there's no other hotel in town, if you were planning to stick around for a bit...I have a spare bedroom if you're interested."**

Emma was surprised by the offer, but she didn't show it. She took a moment to think about it and realized that it seemed to be the perfect solution. She would have a place to live while she courted Regina without having to compromise her position of not wanting to live with Regina until they were firmly back together. She tilted her head, **"That's a very generous offer, but why are you offering?"** Emma needed to know that Mary wasn't expecting a roommate situation to evolve into something more.

Mary Margaret just shrugged, taking a sip of her iced tea, **"It seemed like the right thing to do. This way, if you stay in Storybrooke, you'll have a place to live while you get to know Henry. And, it gets a bit lonely at times so it would be nice to have someone to talk to. But only if you're interested."**

Emma thought about that and decided that if it came down to it, she could always swallow her pride and ask Regina about her guest room if it didn't work out with Mary. **"Um...okay then. Thanks for the offer Mary."**

They continued talking for a little bit longer before Mary had to go back to the school. Emma watched her leave and smiled to herself. She was already picturing ways to spend time with Regina without letting Mary know, determined to keep her relationship with the Mayor under wraps until Regina was ready to go public.

* * *

Emma left the diner after a little while and walked to her car. She got in and began to drive around the town just getting to know the layout of the streets so she wouldn't get lost. She was also scouting locations for dates with Regina, places they could go where they wouldn't be noticed. Emma had already ruled out any of the populated places, such as the diner and the one nightclub she'd seen.

In light of the fact that they were in a small town, Emma realized that the majority of her dates with Regina would have to consist of private places and hidden clearings in the woods that surrounded the town.

She smiled to herself, already picturing a picnic in the woods and laying Regina on a blanket while she kissed her way down the pale flesh of her throat. Oh yeah...picnics in the woods had a definite potential for high romance.

Before she could get too into her fantasies, her cell phone rang. She answered it with a smile when she saw Regina's caller ID.

**"Hey baby, what's up?"**

**"Miss Swan, I was wondering if you could come to my office. There's something we need to discuss."**

**"Now?"**

**"Yes Miss Swan, as soon as possible."** Regina kept her voice cool and collected, not giving anything away.

Emma was confused but she was willing to play along, **"Okay Madam Mayor, I'll be there in five minutes."**

**"Good."**

The line disconnected and Emma took a moment to look at it, wondering why Regina had called her to her office, as well as why her voice was so cold. Emma turned her car around and headed to the town hall, her curiosity taking over. Besides, any excuse to see Regina again was fine with her.

TBC...

* * *

**AN2: Okay a point of clarification. Because Regina doesn't remember being the evil queen, whenever I mention her past, her memories of being left by her past lovers and her parents, it's not her memories as EQ but rather, the curse implanted false memories. On the show, everyone just says things have been this way 'as long as they can remember' and to me that always meant that the curse planted memories so that people wouldn't question things too much. Make sense? **


	6. Living Arrangements

**AN: Sorry this took so long. I got stuck dealing with some life stuff and family issues. But here is the long awaited update.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Living Arrangements  
**

Emma made her way over to Regina's office, curious as to what the Mayor would want from her. She tried not to let her imagination run wild as she thought about the cold tone in Regina's voice. She'd never really heard that tone in the other woman's voice before. It had chilled her and made her worry that Regina had changed her mind about them, about letting Emma court her properly, maybe even about letting her get to know Henry in the process. She hoped that wasn't the case, but she prepared herself for any possibility.

Emma pulled her car up to town hall, and parked it in the small lot next to it, in a visitor's space. She cut the engine and sat there for a moment, mentally preparing herself for whatever Regina had to say to her.

Emma finally got out of her car and walked into the building. She stopped at a small desk outside of the mayor's office and smiled at the secretary. The woman was a few years older than herself, with rich red hair and clear blue eyes.

Emma turned on the charm, **"Hi darlin', is the Mayor available? She called me to come over."**

The Mayor's secretary, Melody, looked up at the blonde who was standing there smiling at her. She felt herself blush and mentally cursed her red hair and fair complexion. Then she tilted her head, **"and what's your name, miss?"** She was trying really hard to maintain her professionalism, knowing if the mayor caught her flirting with someone on duty, there'd be hell to pay.

Emma leaned forward on the desk, her smile still warm, **"Emma Swan."**

Melody picked up the phone on her desk and hit the button to connect her to the Mayor's office phone. **"Mayor Mills, Miss Swan is here to see you...yes ma'am."** Melody hung up the phone and turned to smile at the blonde. **"Go right in, the mayor will see you now."**

Emma couldn't help herself, she leaned closer and asked, **"Is she...in a bad mood?"**

Melody took a moment to quell the surge of arousal that rose up from the woman's proximity...she just shrugged, **"Hard to tell...sorry."**

**"No worries, I'll just play it by ear. Later darlin'."** Emma then swung around and walked towards Regina's door. She turned before opening it and grinned at the redhead, **"Do me a favor, hold all her calls and don't come in unless I tell you to, okay beautiful?"**

Despite the fact that she worked for a very scary mayor, Melody just nodded.

Emma walked into Regina's office, ready to face whatever the other woman had to dish out, satisfied that they wouldn't be interrupted.

* * *

Melody watched as the door closed behind the beautiful blonde and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She took a moment to think about what had just happened and realized that it had really been a long time since her last relationship. She sighed, _'I really need to get laid if any random woman who smiles at me can get me this worked up.'_

Melody nodded to herself then sent a quick text message to her best friend, Ruby, to see if she wanted to join her at the club tonight. Ruby was the best wingman she'd ever had. Ruby confirmed their plans and Melody was finally able to relax and get her work done. She wondered though, as her gaze fell to the door of her boss' office, what was going on in there that the blonde felt it was necessary to hold all calls. Melody shrugged, she realized that she was probably better off not knowing.

* * *

Emma walked into the office and smiled at the sight of Regina sitting at her desk, head bent over some papers with a pen in her hand. Emma's eyes roamed over the mayor's form, taking in the details of her appearance that she'd once spent hours memorizing with her fingers, her lips.

When her presence wasn't acknowledged after a few moments, Emma cleared her throat, eager to know why Regina had been so cold to her on the phone.

Regina smirked at the sound of a throat clearing. It was a game she liked to play, seeing who would break the silence first, who would break under the pressure of silence. She slowly looked up until her eyes met Emma's.

**"Miss Swan, so glad you could make it. Please, have a seat."** She gestured to the chair in front of her desk.

Emma decided to play along, waiting for Regina to reveal her game plan. She sat down and waited.

Regina stood up and walked around her desk until she was standing in front of Emma, leaning back against her desk. She smiled at the blonde, **"So, did you have a good morning so far?"**

Emma frowned, confused, **"Um...yeah it's been...interesting. Why did you call me here?"**

Regina shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. **"I wanted to see you."**

Emma grinned, **"Yeah, I don't buy that. There was something in your voice when you called. So just tell me what's going on please?"**

Regina smirked, **"Never could get anything by you, could I?"** She sighed, **"Fine, I wanted to talk to you about your living arrangements."**

Emma nodded slowly then tilted her head, **"What about them?"**

Regina lowered her hands to rest on the desk, **"You're staying at Granny's, right?"**

Emma frowned, **"Not anymore, Granny evicted me, saying there was a 'problem' with my credit card."** Emma used her hands to make the fake quotation marks, her tone clearly indicating that she didn't buy that hogwash.

That news made Regina think this would be easier than she'd first thought, so she took a breath, **"Well, in that case, I was wondering if you would consider moving into the mansion with me and Henry. It would give you a free place to stay and you could see Henry as often as you like. You would have your own room, of course, I am not trying to suggest anything, unseemly."** Regina ran out of words, nervous for probably the first time in her life, as she waited for Emma's reaction.

Emma smiled, truly touched at the offer and Regina's nerves. She knew that eventually, one day soon hopefully, she would move in with Regina and Henry. But when she did, she wasn't going to be sleeping anywhere but in Regina's bed every night. It would also be only after Henry knew about them and was okay with it.

Emma sighed, **"Regina, I am...honored by your offer, but I can't do it, not yet."**

**"Why not?"**

**"Because,"** Emma stood up then and stepped closer to Regina. She placed her hands on the other woman's waist and leaned closer to her as she said in a low voice, **"when I move in with you, it's going to be into **_**your**_** bedroom, not a guest room. I want us to be together, but I want to do this right, and moving in right now, would be too soon."** She closed the distance between them and kissed her lips, briefly but firmly. When she pulled away, she smiled, **"We clear?"**

Regina took a moment to recover from the kiss then she nodded as Emma's words sank into her brain. **"Okay, I get that, but where will you stay in the meantime?"**

Emma smiled, **"Well, I've already gotten an offer to be Mary Margaret's roommate. So I'll be moving into her spare bedroom."**

Regina thought about that and she felt an irrational sense of jealousy bubble up inside of her. **"So, you'd move in with a total stranger but not with me? What's the difference between living in **_**her**_** spare bedroom and mine?"** She knew she was being irrational but she couldn't help it. There was something about the sweet schoolteacher that grated on Regina's nerves.

Emma frowned, **"The difference is I'm not trying to date Mary Margaret."** Emma leaned in closer to Regina, hoping the proximity would help her convince Regina. **"Regina, if I move in to the mansion, the lines would blur and we could end up ruining what we have before it gets started. Besides, there's also Henry to consider, how would he react to seeing us together before we've told him about us? If he caught us in...a compromising position before we came clean to him, he'd feel betrayed and lied to...again. I know you don't want that for him right?"**

Regina forced herself to think about what Emma was saying and she had to agree the blonde had a point. Still, **"Okay, you're right about the Henry thing. But does it have to be Mary Margaret?"**

Emma leaned back and looked into Regina's eyes, **"What is it about her that you don't like? She's sweet, and kind and she seems to care about Henry."**

Regina shrugged her shoulders, **"I don't know exactly what it is about that woman but there's something about her that just...gets on my nerves. I think, no I know that she hates me and I just...it's bad enough she has access to my son all day to feed him lies about me but now she's going to be with you for several hours a day and I guess I'm just worried that she'll try to poison you against me as well."** Regina hadn't intended to reveal that much but she couldn't help it. She needed Emma to know why she was so against her moving in with Mary Margaret.

Emma thought about that for a moment then realized how ridiculous it sounded. She knew better, though, than to say that to Regina. Instead she opted for a truth of her own, **"Regina, I can promise you this much, **_**nothing**_** and **_**no one**_** could ever turn me against you."** Emma took a breath before, **"I love you and nothing is going to change that, ever. So all these thoughts about Mary Margaret or anyone else turning me against you or taking me away from you, just get them out of your head because it's never going to happen, got it?"**

Regina stared into Emma's eyes and saw the truth in them and she smiled, a little relieved but still cautious. **"I'll try. It's not easy, especially in this town where everyone either hates me or fears me...or both. And there are those who would stop at nothing to ruin any happiness I managed to have."** Regina lifted her hand to Emma's face and cupped her cheek, She brushed her thumb over the cheekbone as she said in a low voice, **"I don't want to lose you again Emma. I barely survived it the last time, when my fear made me run from you and your love. I won't run again, but I wouldn't survive it if you ran from me."** Regina felt the tears gather in her eyes and silently cursed herself for showing so much emotion, but she knew it was inevitable. This woman held her heart, even if she didn't know it yet, and she didn't want to hold back anymore.

Emma saw the tears but decided not to say anything about them, sensing Regina wouldn't want them pointed out. Instead, she leaned closer and kissed her, letting her lips and her tongue express the words that she couldn't. She was overwhelmed by Regina's admission and it made her hopeful for their future.

Regina gave herself over to the kiss, not even trying to fight for dominance, simply allowing Emma to control it, finally admitting that love wasn't a weakness, but a power. The power to be able to give someone else control over you without losing you own identity.

Several long minutes later, Emma pulled away and rested her head against Regina's. She pulled in deep lungfuls of air and tried to catch her breath, a small smile creeping onto her face as she noticed Regina doing the same.

After a few moments, Emma spoke, **"So, now that that's settled. Would you like to have dinner with me, tonight?"**

Regina tightened her hands around Emma's waist, **"Are you asking me out on a date, Miss Swan?"**

Emma grinned, **"Yeah, I am."**

Regina pulled back and smiled, **"then I would love to. What time?"**

**"I'll pick you up at seven. Right now though, I have to go. Gotta see where there is in this town to take a gorgeous woman to on a date."** Emma smiled, then leaned in and stole a quick kiss. **"I'll see you tonight Regina."**

Regina nodded, **"Yes you will."**

Emma turned then and left the office. Regina watched her leave and she smiled to herself. It seemed as though for once, her life might actually be going good. She knew it wouldn't last, it never did, but she was determined to enjoy it for as long as she could.

* * *

Emma left Regina's office and stopped at the secretary's desk. She read the name plate on the front of the desk, Melody Little, and then smiled at the redhead, **"Hey Melody. The Mayor is taking calls again. I think she's in a better mood now. Have a good day."**

Melody just nodded as she watched the blonde walk out the building. She wondered again what had gone on in that office but she knew she was better off not knowing. Besides, if the blonde really had put Mayor Mills in a good mood, Melody knew that however she'd done that, was fine with her. She preferred it when the mayor was in a good mood, it always made her day a little bit easier. She turned back to her work, smiling, as she thought about what lay in store for her tonight. She was certain that she could find someone to entertain her this evening while she was out with Ruby.

* * *

Since it was still too early to meet up with Mary Margaret and move her things into the spare bedroom, Emma decided to drive around a bit, to see if she could see what the town had to offer in terms of restaurants for her date with Regina.

She drove around for about an hour when she came across a small restaurant that was down a street she hadn't noticed before. She looked at the place and it looked nice enough. Her eyes strayed to the main window where the name of place was painted on the glass. _Starlight Enchantment_ was the name of the place and it made Emma smile. It sounded romantic enough for a date. She got out of her car and walked to the front door. She stepped inside and smiled at the decor.

The walls were a midnight blue and the floor was covered in a carpet of the same color. She looked up at the ceiling and was surprised to see the sky. The ceiling was made of glass and Emma saw the few clouds in the sky as they lazily drifted by. She could tell that at night, with the stars shining brightly, the ceiling would be the main feature.

She was brought out of her musings by the sound of a throat clearing. She turned to the sound and saw a pretty blond woman standing there, smiling. **"May I help you dear?"**

Emma smiled politely, **"Um, yes I was wondering if it was possible to make a reservation for tonight?"**

The blond woman frowned, **"Tonight? That's awfully short notice, but let me check the book."**

The blonde woman walked to a podium that was off to the side and pulled out a dark blue leather bound book. She opened it and found the page for the reservations for that evening. She scanned the page and smiled, **"Well, you're in luck. It seems we have an opening for tonight. How many in your party?"**

Emma smiled at her good fortune, **"Two. For tonight at 7:30 if that's okay?"**

The blonde smiled, **"7:30 is perfect. What's the name?"**

**"Emma Swan."**

The blonde wrote in the reservation for 2 for 7:30 under the name Swan then smiled up at the blonde. **"That's such a pretty name. So much nicer than my own boring name, Mandy."**

Emma smiled, **"I don't think Mandy is so bad, after all there is a song named Mandy, right?"**

Mandy frowned, **"Yes, I never liked that song. You have no idea how many suitors have tried to win me over with that song."**

Emma nodded, sympathetically, **"I can imagine. They probably all thought it was the best way to win you over. I, however, would've gone a different route, but that's just me." **

Mandy's eyes lit up, **"Really? What would you have done differently? Just for argument's sake?"**

Emma shrugged, willing to play along because she knew it wasn't going to go anywhere, she was committed to Regina but that didn't mean she didn't flirt a little when she had the chance. She leaned a bit closer to the blonde and said, **"Well, for starters, I would've probably tried appealing to your vanity by remarking how beautiful you are, or how the green of your eyes shines like the emerald fields of Ireland. If that didn't work, I'd appeal to your intelligence and ask you about the last book you read, listening to your response and reacting accordingly. Granted, it's not the sweep you off your feet gesture that most people think of, but you'd be surprised how often that works for me."** Emma smiled then before she pulled back a bit.

Mandy let out a shaky breath then said, **"Well...I can see how that would work for you...it certainly got me thinking."** She cleared her throat, **"But, seeing as how you made the reservation for two, I am going to assume that you are, sadly, already spoken for so I will have to just hope that you will offer the men in this town a few pointers on how to pick up women."** Mandy smiled, hoping that this woman would refute the spoken for assumption, maybe even tell her the reservation was for a business dinner or something like that and not a romantic date. She wasn't going to hold her breath though.

Emma just smiled, **"Yes I am spoken for, as for the pointers, well...I'll see what I can do."** She winked at Mandy then made her excuses and soon she was back in her car, driving off towards the center of town and the school to meet up with Henry and Mary Margaret. It was almost time for school to let out and she wanted to be settled into her new place before her date tonight.

* * *

Regina made it home that afternoon with a smile on her face as she anticipated her date with Emma. She walked into her house and hurried up to her bedroom. Before she got there, she noticed that Henry was already home and in his room. She moved to his room and knocked on the door.

Henry looked up at the knock and he smiled when he saw his mom. In the last few days, ever since Emma's promise to make Regina lighten up, Henry had noticed the changes in his mom and he responded to them. It was almost like it was before he found out he was adopted. **"Hi mom."**

Regina smiled at her son, **"Hi Henry. I wanted to talk to you for a moment if that's okay?"**

Henry nodded, **"Okay."** He put aside the PSP he was playing with and turned his attention to his mother. **"What's up?"**

Regina walked over to the bed and sat down on it, facing her son. **"Henry, I have a...um, I'm going out tonight. I already called Katherine to come and watch you while I'm out."** Regina was going to tell him it was a date but she stopped herself. She didn't know why but she was reluctant to tell him about her relationship, and her past, with Emma until she was certain it wasn't going to fall apart again.

Henry nodded, **"Okay...but why can't Emma watch me?"**

Regina grinned then shook her head ruefully, now she was going to have to tell Henry the truth...well part of it at least, **"Because Emma is the one I am going out with tonight. We're um...having dinner to talk about some things and to maybe try to find a better way for her to be a part of your life without disrupting things too much."** Regina was actually proud of herself for her quick thinking, though she wasn't comfortable having to lie to her son. She knew she would end up paying for this later, when he found out the truth about her and Emma.

Henry took a moment to think about what his mom was telling him and he smiled, happy at the idea that she was at least trying to let Emma be in his life more. On impulse, he moved closer and wrapped his arm around his mom's neck and hugged her tight. **"Thanks mom."** He whispered in her ear.

Regina felt tears spring to her eyes as she held Henry close, the love in his voice reminding her of the time before his accident, and overwhelming her. She held him tight, reveling in the moment of pure affection.

After a few moments, Regina pulled back and looked at her son. **"So, I take it you're okay with this?"**

Henry just nodded.

Regina smiled, **"Okay then. Well I need to start getting ready. I told Katherine to order a pizza for dinner, a special treat just for tonight, sound good?"**

Henry grinned, **"Sounds great. Thanks."**

**"No problem. Just don't eat too much and in bed by nine, okay?"**

Henry sighed, **"Yes ma'am."**

**"Good."** She kissed the top of his head, **"I'm going to go get ready. Did you get all your homework done?"**

**"Yup. All done."**

**"Okay, well I'll let you get back to your game."**

Regina stood up and left the room to go get ready for her date with Emma.

Henry watched her leave and smiled to himself. Emma had kept her word so far, she'd gotten his mom to lighten up and now she was talking about letting him spend time with her. It was everything he wanted, the chance to get to know his birth mom. He loved his mom, but he also wanted to know Emma better. He needed to know more about her. She'd told him why she'd given him up but he still had a lot of questions and he knew the only way to get the answers he needed was to spend more time with her. So far, it seemed as if he was about to get everything he'd ever wanted. Henry's smile remained intact as he turned back to his PSP and resume his video game.

* * *

Emma pulled up in front of Regina's house and took a moment to take a breath. She couldn't believe she was actually nervous.

She had spent the afternoon getting settled into the spare room at Mary Margaret's then explaining to the teacher that she had a "business dinner" with Regina to discuss Henry. She hadn't liked lying to the sweet woman but she also wasn't about to risk telling the truth. She knew there was some...bad blood between the teacher and Regina and she didn't want to stir anything up by telling her that she was dating the mayor.

Now, Emma sat outside Regina's house and she found she was nervous. She took a few moments to calm herself before she stepped out of her car and walked up to the door.

She rang the bell and waited for someone to open it. When the door swung open, the sight that met Emma's eyes left the blonde surprised to say the least. This was...unexpected and she wasn't sure how to react to the person who had opened Regina's door.

TBC...

* * *

**AN2: So there it is. Any guesses on who Melody and Mandy are? I promise they are fairytale characters that have been at least mentioned on the show. I couldn't resist using them. For the record, Emma did drive the streets in an earlier chapter, but she didn't see this street before. It was like it materialized just for the purpose of hosting their first official date in Storybrooke. Side note about the latest episodes...I honestly didn't see that twist with August actually being Pinocchio, that was a nice twist. Though I personally would've liked it if the older kid who convinced him to leave Emma back then had actually been Baelfire but that's just me I guess. Anyway, any and all comments and guesses about Melody & Mandy are welcome. **


	7. First Date

**AN: So it's been almost a year since the last update. I didn't forget about this one I just got distracted by other fandoms and by season 2. Hope this makes up for that, despite she shortness of the chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: First Date**

Emma took a moment to study the beautiful blonde who had opened Regina's door with such familiarity. She firmly pushed down the quick burst of jealousy and forced herself to think rationally and find out who this woman was _before_ she tore her head off for being in Regina's house.

Emma cleared her throat, **"Um, is Regina here?"**

Katherine looked the unknown woman up and down, sizing her up and then she smiled as she realized that this was the woman who had Regina upstairs frazzled about what to wear. **"Yes she is. Please come in, Miss…?"**

**"Swan, Emma Swan. And you are?"**

**"Katherine Nolan. I'm Regina's best friend and sometime babysitter for Henry." **Katherine held out her hand to Emma who promptly and politely shook it.

When Katherine mentioned Henry, Emma smiled, **"Speaking of the kid, is he still awake?"**

Katherine nodded, **"Yeah just a moment." **Katherine led Emma into the living room as she called out to Henry who was sitting at the dining room table doing his homework.** "Henry, you have a visitor." **Katherine turned to Emma, **"While the two of you talk, I'll go tell Regina you're here."**

Emma nodded and smiled her thanks. She watched Katherine leave the room just as Henry walked in. The little boy was all smiles when he saw Emma.

**"Hi Emma!"**

**"Hey kid, staying out of trouble?" **Emma joked, knowing the boy would be on his best behavior for a while.

Henry just grinned then he grabbed Emma's hand and brought her to the dining room so they could talk while he finished his homework. Emma settled down into a chair and smiled as she watched her son doing his homework. It was something she never thought she'd have the chance to do after she'd given him up.

* * *

Katherine entered Regina's bedroom and grinned at the state of the room. It looked like a mini hurricane has swept in and tossed the dark haired woman's closet around. There were dozens of discarded outfits thrown haphazardly on the bed and Regina was standing in front of her walk in closet staring at her remaining clothes. When she heard Katherine enter she turned to look at her friend and tried to smile. **"As ridiculous as this sounds…I have nothing to wear!"**

Katherine fought not to laugh at the situation, knowing her friend wouldn't appreciate her mirth. Instead, she closed the door behind her and moved towards the clothes thrown on the bed. She took a moment to rummage through the tops, skirts, and dresses before she pulled a black dress from the pile. It was simple, elegant and perfect for a first date. It was black with an intricate design near the hem in white that resembled a thorny vine winding around the left leg and snaking up the left side to the waist. Katherine handed the dress to Regina and said, **"Wear this, it's perfect and you know you look best in black."**

Regina took the dress from her and looked at it, eyeing it critically. **"Hmmm…are you sure?" **Regina wanted to look really good tonight, she felt that she owed Emma that much at least. The blonde was giving her a second chance, she was back in her life and willing to try again despite the pain she'd put Emma through.

Katherine sighed, "**Trust me Regina, it's perfect. Now go change while I pick out your shoes."** Katherine gently but firmly nudged Regina in the direction of the master bathroom while she turned to the brunette's closet to find a pair of heels for her.

Regina went into the bathroom and began to change out of her blue silk robe and into the little black dress. When she stepped back into her bedroom, she saw her best friend holding up a pair of black heels. She quickly grabbed them and slipped them on. She looked up at Katherine, **"Thanks Katherine. I would've probably been up here for another hour trying to find the perfect outfit."**

Katherine dismissed the praise with her hand, **"Don't mention it Regina. Besides, this nervous thing you got going on right now is…appealing. It makes you seem more human."**

Regina narrowed her eyes a bit, her nerves forgotten for the moment, **"More human? Are you implying that I normally come off as…inhuman or something?"**

Katherine hid her smile as her plan seemed to work. Make Regina focus on something other than her nerves so she could get past them and have a good time on her date tonight, and so that Emma didn't have to see Regina looking nervous or vulnerable. Katherine knew her friend didn't like people seeing her softer side. **"Of course not, it's just that you're always so…composed and put together, that it's nice to see this side of you."**

Regina relaxed at that and smiled, **"Well, thank you but it's not a side I like to show to people. I ****_am_**** the mayor of this town, I have a certain image to uphold."**

Katherine did smile this time, **"Yes, well, it's also nice to know that you're not perfect Regina. I think the people of this town might benefit from seeing you a bit softer and less in control. This is a small town Regina, and everyone knows everyone else and their business. Sooner rather than later, they are going to know about Emma. Wouldn't it be better if it came from you and not some gossipy old maid?"**

Regina took a moment to think about that and she realized her friend was right, it would benefit her more in the long run if she was the one to come out about her relationship with Emma rather than have someone else spill the beans and make it look like she had something to hide or be ashamed of. It would also be better if she and Emma were the ones to tell Henry before he heard about it in the schoolyard or on the streets. **"I see your point. However, it's still early for any big announcements. For now, I'd like to just enjoy the moment."**

Katherine just nodded. **"Okay. By the way, Emma is downstairs right now with Henry…waiting for you."**

Regina's eyes widened a bit, **"Why didn't you say that when you came in?"**

Before Katherine could respond, Regina was out the door and headed for the stairs. She was ready to go and only had to grab her purse near the front door and she'd be all set.

* * *

Emma heard footsteps on the stairs and she stood up from the table and turned to face the door. After a few moments, Regina came walking into the room looking…stunning. Emma just stared at her for a few moments before she managed to shake herself free of the moment and smile at Regina. **"Hey, you look…very beautiful Regina." ** It took all of Emma's self-control not to reach out and touch Regina in front of Henry, or to call her Gina like she wanted to.

Regina felt herself begin to blush, something she almost never did, at the sincerity in Emma's voice. She looked the blonde up and down and found that she liked what she saw. Emma was wearing black dress pants and a blue silk blouse over what looked like a white tank top, and black leather boots. To Regina, Emma looked good enough to eat…and she was suddenly assaulted with memories of their time together in Boston.

**"Thank you Emma, you look very nice as well." **Regina finally managed to say as she forcefully pushed the memories to the back of her mind.

Emma stepped forward a bit, **"Thank you. So, are you ready to go?"**

Regina nodded and, after they said their goodbyes to Henry and Katherine, they were off to dinner.

* * *

Henry sat at the table staring at his homework, thinking about what just happened. After a few moments, he got up and walked to the living room where Miss Katherine was watching TV. He sat down next to her and asked, **"Miss Katherine, if I asked you something, would you tell me the truth?"**

Katherine turned to look at the young boy and felt her heart sink a little. She had a feeling she knew what he was going to ask and she didn't know how she would answer him. **"If I can, then I will. What's your question Henry?"**

Henry took a moment to think about what he wanted to ask before he said, **"Are my mom and Emma…dating?"**

Yup, that was the question she was expecting. Katherine took a moment to think about what she could say. On the one hand, she could be honest with him but she also felt that it wasn't her place to tell Henry about his mom and Emma. She took a breath and said, **"What makes you think they are dating?" **She figured a stall tactic might be called for here.

Henry sighed, **"I don't know exactly but…just now it seemed like Emma was picking my mom up for a date. My mom was wearing a nice dress and even Emma was wearing nice clothes and not the jeans she's been wearing lately. They're going out to dinner together…isn't that what a date is?"**

Katherine smiled, **"Sometimes, yes that can be a date. And sometimes it's just two people having dinner together. I suspect they are having dinner to discuss what to do about the situation the three of you are in."**

**"What do you mean?"**

**"Well, your mom didn't exactly plan on having Emma come into your life just yet. And I'm sure Emma wasn't planning on it either but now that she's here, of course she wants to get to know you. Your mom and Emma now have to find a way for that to happen that doesn't disrupt your life any more than it already has. They also are probably going to come up with some ground rules so that there's no question which one of them has the final say in decision about you." **Katherine was a little amazed that she was able to pull all that out of thin air but now that she thought about it, it made sense. Emma and Regina would have to come to some sort of understanding when it came to Henry so that the boy wouldn't try to play one of them against the other to get his own way. Not that Henry was a troublemaker or anything like that, but Katherine figured his situation was similar to that of kids from divorced parents. If the parent you live with says no, ask the other parent who is most likely to say yes just to get on your good side.

Henry thought about that and it seemed like a good explanation so he let it go and thanked Katherine before going back to the dining room table to finish his homework.

Katherine sighed in relief when Henry accepted her explanation without question. She made a mental note to tell Regina what Henry had asked when she got back from her date with Emma.

* * *

Emma and Regina were sitting at a very romantic table partially hidden from view from the main restaurant area by deep purple curtains. Emma had requested the private table when Mandy had greeted them at the door and the blonde was all too willing to accommodate her. Emma sensed that Mandy might have a bit of a crush on her but she shrugged it off, deciding to only deal with it if it became a real problem.

They had ordered their food and were waiting for it to arrive when Regina cleared her throat, **"Emma, darling, this place is amazing. I must admit I never even knew it existed until tonight. However did you find it?"**

Emma just grinned, **"Honestly, I was just driving around this town when I came across this place. I came in and met the owner, Mandy, and luckily there was an opening for tonight. It was almost like…well like magic or something."**

Regina just smiled. She didn't really believe in magic…not until she opened her door a few days ago and saw Emma standing there. Surely magic or fate was responsible for their reunion.

The waitress came then and placed their meals on the table. With a smile and the request that if they need anything to just call her, she was out of their area once again.

Regina lifted her wine glass and smiled when Emma did the same, **"To magic, or fate, for bringing us together again my sweet Emma." **They clinked glasses and took a sip a wine.

After a moment, they began eating and the silence was broken up by little bursts of conversation. Mostly they talked about Henry and Emma getting to know him but they also discussed how Emma was going to woo Regina without the whole town finding out before they were ready.

Emma admitted it wasn't going to be easy but she was determined to find a way to sweep Regina off her feet and back into her bed.

TBC...


	8. Hot Chocolate and Cinnamon

**AN: Sorry this took so long. Got a bit distracted and now there's the AU story Definition of Family that I'm working on as well. Hope this is okay. I started out thinking I would incorporate more of the episodes and their dialogue but then realized it wouldn't work since their best scenes are of Regina trying to get rid of Emma and that doesn't fit this story. So while I will be using moments from the show and a line or two here and there, I'm also going to veer off the canon track alot here. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon**

The morning after their first date, Emma was sitting at the counter in Granny's diner, reading the morning paper as she waited for Ruby to finish with another customer before taking her order.

After a few moments, Emma noticed a mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream and…was that powdered cinnamon on top…slide close to her just before she heard Ruby's sweet voice, **"Here you go."**

Emma looked up and noticed the dark haired waitress was grinning. **"Thank you but I didn't order that."**

Ruby just grinned, **"Yeah, I know. You have an admirer Miss Swan."**

Emma, slightly confused, casually glanced around the diner trying to determine who would send her the drink, which just happened to be her favorite hot beverage. Her eyes fell on the sheriff sitting at a booth looking all nonchalant. She stood up from the stool and walked over to his table, mug in hand, prepared to return it to him and let him down easy, not really relishing making an enemy of the top cop in town. His cocky smirk when he looked up and saw her walking to him killed that notion though.

Graham leaned back when he noticed Emma Swan approach his table. She was beautiful and sassy and Graham could admit he had a bit of a crush on her. **"Ah, so you decided to stay in town?"**

**"Observant. Important for a cop." **The sarcasm in her voice would've been obvious to anyone else, but it was a bit lost on Graham.

**"I think you'll find I have lots more hidden skills…not just as a cop." **His eyes dipped briefly to her chest before returning to her eyes. He was trying to flirt but, frankly, he kind of sucked at it.

Emma had grown weary of him already, **"Look, the cocoa ****_was_**** a nice gesture, and I ****_am_**** impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon on my chocolate 'cause most people don't, but I'm not here to flirt. So, thank you but, no thank you." ** Emma placed the mug down in front of him.

Graham, a little confused, shook his head, **"I didn't send it."**

Before Emma could reply she heard another voice say, **"I did." **Emma looked over to a booth a few feet away where Henry had been sitting. He was standing up and getting out of the booth by now and he smiled at Emma, **"I like cinnamon too."**

**"Don't you have school?" **She wasn't expecting to see him so soon but she wasn't exactly complaining. She just wanted to make sure he wasn't trying to skip school again.

**"Duh, I'm ten." **Henry finished putting his back pack on and smiled as he said, **"Walk me."**

Emma shrugged and agreed, leaving diner with Henry and not giving the sheriff another glance.

As they walked away from the diner, Henry asked, **"So what happened with you and my mom?"**

Emma's steps faltered briefly before she regained her footing, hoping Henry wasn't about to ask her if she was dating his mom. **"What do you mean?"**

**"Well, you two had dinner last night, to talk about things right? So what happened?" **Henry was curious to know what his moms had come up with in terms of his getting to know Emma.

Emma relaxed a bit then said, **"We talked about finding a way for us to spend time together so we can get to know each other that wasn't going to interrupt your schedule. Your mom, she wants to make sure that, this…me being here, doesn't mess up how things have been, do you understand?"**

In truth, Henry didn't completely get it but he did understand that his mom was going to let him get to know Emma and that was all he really wanted so he would agree to almost anything in order to make that happen. **"I think I do. So what does it mean though? Are we going to like, have a schedule of appointments or something to spend time together?"**

Emma frowned, that sounded far too clinical for what she wanted and what she figured Henry wanted. **"Something like that but not necessarily that structured. Just time set aside to hang out. We're still working that out."**

Henry's head dipped down, **"Oh…" ** There was a lull in the conversation as both of them just walked then Henry's head shot up, **"Hey, do you think one of those times could be you walking me to school and maybe picking me up? That would give us time to talk and stuff."**

Emma thought about that and realized she liked the idea of walking her son to school and picking him up, but she was going to have to run it by Regina before she agreed to anything. **"Maybe, I'll ask your mom about it later when I go see her at her office."**

Emma noticed they had arrived at the school and she nodded her head in the direction of the building, **"This is your stop kid. Have a good day."**

Impulsively, Henry hugged her then he ran off towards the school. As he passed by Mary Margaret he turned around and grinned, **"Think of that as incentive to convince my mom! See you later Emma!" ** With that, he turned and ran the rest of the way towards the school.

Emma watched as Mary Margaret walked up to her and smiled, **"Hey, it is so good to see his smile back." **The tone in her voice implied she was convinced the smile was all Emma's doing.

Emma deflected, **"I didn't do anything."**

**"You stayed. So how'd it go with the Mayor last night?"**

Emma saw this as her chance to see how Mary Margaret felt about Regina, since she already knew the other woman's feelings. **"I survived. She seems a bit young to have been Mayor for so long, how'd she get elected?"**

**"She's been the Mayor as long as I can remember. No one's ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires a great deal of…well fear in people. I'm afraid that only got worse after Henry's accident. When he pulled away from her, she took it out on anyone who crossed her path."**

Emma nodded, understanding how that might make someone cranky. But she still couldn't see why Regina disliked this sweet woman so much. She mentally shrugged then asked, **"Can I ask you a favor? Regina mentioned last night that the kid was in therapy but she didn't tell me with whom. Do you know where I can find the doctor?"**

**"Sure. Dr. Hopper, he's on Main Street, near Marco's Hardware Store." ** The bell rang just then and Mary Margaret briefly turned towards the school before looking back at Emma, **"I have to go. I'll see you later?"**

Emma just nodded, **"later."**

She stood there and watched as the schoolteacher raced into the building. When the doors were closed, Emma turned around and began walking towards Main Street. She was supposed to meet Regina in her office at ten, it was only eight o'clock right now, so she had time to swing by the shrink's office for a chat. She wanted to help Henry get over his issues with Regina and the adoption, and she figured this doctor might have some insight as to how to do that.

* * *

Emma's meeting with the shrink didn't go quite as she expected. He had basically told her that Henry's main issue stemmed from his knowledge of being adopted and that he was struggling with the underlying problems that usually came with knowing that your birth parents had given you away. Emma was very familiar with those feelings and she hated that her son was going through it too. She had hoped, when she'd given him up for adoption, that he would never find out he was adopted and never have to face the questions and the doubts.

Dr. Hopper had also mentioned that, with Emma back in his life, Henry was even more confused than he was before. He has two moms now and Henry had confided in the doc that he didn't know which one he was supposed to love now; the mom who had raised him or the one who had given him life.

Emma was walking down the street, heading in the direction of City Hall where Regina's office was located, lost in her own thoughts. She never wanted Henry to have to choose between her and Regina, hell, if she got her way, he would have them both in his life for a long time to come. Emma had no problem admitting, to herself at least, that for the first time in her life, she wanted to settle down and have a life and a family with someone else…with Regina. She just had to find a way to make it happen.

* * *

Emma walked into City Hall and headed to Regina's office. She stopped by Melody's desk and grinned at the redhead. **"Hey Melody, how's it going?"**

Melody looked up at the blonde woman who always managed to make her heart beat just a tiny bit faster, and smiled, **"Hello Miss Swan. Is the Mayor expecting you?"**

Emma's grin faltered a bit but she recovered quickly, **"Yes she is, but you can call me Emma. I won't bite, I promise." ** Emma winked at the girl, putting forth her most charming smile, hoping to win the girl over to her side. Emma knew that secretaries were the gatekeepers in these situations and, if she wanted to one day have the freedom to just walk into Regina's office without having to check in with Melody first, she would need to bring Melody over to her side. Hence, the flirting and the charm.

Despite herself, Melody felt the blush steal over her face as she envisioned the blond biting certain, sensitive, places on her body. She shook her head and blinked before looking back up at the blonde. **"Very well, Emma. I'll just check with her Honor. Please have a seat." **Melody motioned to the chairs by the wall which were there for people waiting to be seen.

Emma nodded and walked over to the chairs, having seen Melody's reaction to her words and she counted that as a point in her favor.

Melody got on the phone and told the Mayor Miss Swan was there to see her. Regina told her to send her in. Melody hung up and informed the blonde she could old the Mayor Miss Swan was there to see her. Regina told her to send her in. Melody hung up and igo into the office now.

Emma stood slowly and walked to the door. She turned and caught Melody's eyes for a moment, then she smiled and winked before slipping into the office.

Melody watched the blond disappear and she frowned, wondering what the other woman's game was, flirting with her before going in to see the mayor. After a few moments, Melody shrugged, dismissing it from her mind as she focused on her work, knowing if the Mayor caught her just sitting there, there would be hell to pay.

* * *

Emma walked into Regina's office and took a moment to just watch the dark haired woman working at her desk before she cleared her throat. **"Hey."**

Regina looked up and smiled at Emma, **"Hello, did you have a productive morning so far?"**

Emma arched an eyebrow at Regina, **"Something like that…why do you ask?"**

Regina chuckled, **"Emma, dear, this is my town. There's very little that happens here that I don't eventually find out about. Was Dr. Hopper helpful?"**

Emma sighed as she sat down on the small couch that was off to the side and motioned for Regina to join her. **"He filled in some of the blanks. But honestly, he didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know or suspect."**

Regina moved over and sat in the armchair, keeping her distance for the moment, knowing if she got any closer to the blonde she'd forget everything else and just kiss the woman…and there were things they still needed to talk about. Last night's date hadn't allowed for certain subjects to be discussed. **"I see. Like what?"**

Emma grinned, **"The usual stuff that most adopted kids go through. The questions and the doubts that can really only be answered by their biological parents." **Emma cast an apologetic look at Regina at that then she continued, **"Which is why I think we need to talk a bit more about me spending time with Henry to answer his questions."**

Regina's first instinct was to refuse, to shield her son and force away the woman who was a threat to her relationship with her son…but she squashed that when she remembered this was Emma. Emma wasn't trying to take Henry away from her…if anything, Emma seemed to be working towards the idea of the three of them forming some kind of, dare she say it, _family_. So she simply nodded, **"Indeed. I suppose you have something in mind?"**

**"Actually, I ran into Henry at Granny's this morning and I walked him to school. We talked for a bit and he had the idea that maybe…maybe I could walk him to and from school to give us time together to talk?"** Emma ended her words in a question, looking at Regina and hoping she wasn't about to undo any progress she made last night in her goal of winning the brunette's heart by admitting to seeing Henry without her permission first.

Of course, Regina had known about the impromptu meeting of her son and Emma, Graham had called her to let her know. Regina smiled at the thought of Emma planning to be around long enough to make a routine of taking Henry to school and back home, it gave Regina renewed hope for the future.

**"I think that's a wonderful idea Emma. Just as long as you agree to bring him by here on Thursdays so we can all go out to dinner before his appointment with Dr. Hopper."**

Emma just nodded, smiling and glad that Regina was being so accommodating, **"I have no problem with that."**

Regina smiled, **"Good. I guess that settles that then." ** Regina didn't know what else to say, she wanted to bring up their date the possibility of a second date but she wasn't sure how to ask about that. When she was with Graham, they never really went on dates, they just met at her place or in his room at Granny's and had sex. During the year she was seeing Emma in Boston they didn't go on dates either, just the bar and then Emma's apartment. Regina was a bit new to this whole dating thing.

Emma saw the conflict in Regina's eyes and decided to have a little fun with her, especially since she didn't really like this distance between them. Emma stood up from the couch and quickly crossed to the armchair Regina was sitting in and lowered herself to straddle the brunette in the seat, gripping the armrests of the chair for balance. She looked into Regina's eyes and grinned, **"So…I was thinking that since last night went so well…maybe we could do it again? Maybe this time…something simpler like say, a picnic in the woods? What do you say?"**

Regina's arms came up and wrapped around Emma, her hands resting on the small of her back as she smiled up at the blonde beauty in her lap. ** "I'd like that. When did you have in mind?"**

Instead of answering, Emma leaned down and softly brushed her lips against Regina's lightly at first but then adding more pressure when she felt Regina respond. They kissed for several moments before Emma pulled away to take a breath. She smiled at Regina, **"I was thinking we could have a picnic tomorrow afternoon? Seeing as how it's Saturday and you won't have to work. Henry can even join us, we can make a family day of it…if that's okay with you of course." **Emma had gotten the idea of a family picnic in her head on her way over from Dr. Hopper's, thinking it might be a good way to show Henry that he didn't have to choose between them…and if she was being honest, the thought of a family picnic was appealing to her.

Regina leaned back as she studied Emma's face. **"You're serious. You want our next date to include Henry and be a family event?"**

Emma nodded, **"Yeah…I just…" **Emma took a deep breath, **"I don't want the kid to think that he has to choose between us you know?"**

**"Why would he think he had to choose?"**

**"Something Dr. Hopper said earlier. Gina, I told you before I don't want to take Henry away from you, I just want to know him…but I also want for the three of us to one day, be a family. I think it would be good for all of us if Henry saw that it was a possibility."**

Regina took a moment to think about that and she realized that Emma had a point. She sighed, **"Very well Emma. Tomorrow afternoon, the three of us will have a picnic in the woods. However, tonight you are coming over to my house for dinner, agreed?"**

Emma grinned, **"Dinner? At your house?"**

**"Yes dear, is that a problem?"**

**"No! No problem at all. I'd love that." **Emma leaned in and kissed her again.

Regina took a few moments to enjoy having Emma this close to her before the intercom on her desk buzzed to life and Melody's timid sounding voice came through the speaker, **"Um…Mayor Mills? You're 11 o'clock appointment is here to see you."**

With a low growl, Regina pulled away from Emma and frowned up at the blonde, **"That's the Sheriff Emma, weekly paperwork and reports."**

Emma just nodded, not moving from Regina's lap as her lips found the tender skin of her neck. **"Mmmhmm."**

Regina took a deep breath, **"Which means you need to get up so I can get to the intercom, baby."**

Emma's head shot up fast as she looked at Regina, **"You called me baby."**

**"I needed to get your attention, dear. While I love the attention you're giving my neck, duty calls and I must answer it. However, tonight after dinner…there won't be anything to interrupt us so we can pick this up then, agreed?"**

Emma's shoulders slumped as she realized Regina was serious about her moving. She carefully stood up and took a few steps back. **"Careful Gina, I might not be so easy to stop next time. But for now, I'll let you get back to work. I'll see you tonight, what time should I be there?"**

**"Dinner is at 7 but get there for 6." **Regina stood on shaky knees, still recovering from the arousal that Emma's kisses had triggered that was slowly receding. She walked slowly over to her desk and told Melody to have the sheriff wait a few moments then she turned back to Emma who hadn't moved. **"I'll see you tonight Emma."**

Emma grinned, taking this as her cue to leave. She gave a small nod, then turned and walked to the door. Before she opened it she turned back to Regina and winked, **"Until tonight Gina."**

With that, Emma left the office and, after nodding to Graham, she smiled at Melody and left the building. Her next stop was Granny's for an early lunch and to pre-order the food for the picnic. Emma wanted to do this right.

Graham watched Emma leave and frowned, wondering why she was meeting with Regina. Graham knew that he had blown it with Regina when he cheated on her and got caught, but that didn't mean he had given up the small hope that she would one day see he was the one for her. In the meantime, Graham didn't see the harm in flirting with other women, and enjoying his freedom until Regina came to her senses.

He walked into the office and smiled at Regina before he handed her the reports and settled in for their usual hour-long meeting about the big fat nothing that had happened in town that week. Just another week in the life of a small town.

* * *

**AN2: The idea of the family picnic is my way of helping Emma out a bit. Most single mothers (like Regina) usually date people who often times don't think to include the kids. I think if you're going to date a single parent, eventually you gotta include the kids...they're part of the deal. Plus since Henry is her biological son, Emma has an extra reason to include him. Make sense?**


End file.
